Abstract:
This research was conducted to determine what factors contribute to the success and failure of students in the Foundation Computer studies (HCS081) course at the National University of Samoa. The model included cohort, PSSC Computer studies, PSSC Maths, PSSC English, secondary school attended and gender as possible predictive factors for success in the Foundation computer studies course. Data used were: student performance in Year 13 ( last year of secondary school in Samoa) Mathematics, Computer Studies, and English, students’ PSSC aggregate and attended, for the years 2002 to 2006 and Foundation Computer studies (HCS081) results, program enrolled within the Foundation year, and gender for the years 2003 to 2007. The study revealed PSSC Maths, PSSC English, PSSC Computing as strong predictive factors for Foundation Computer studies. There were significant differences in performance in Foundation Computer studies from program to program. There were no gender effects for Foundation Computer studies. However there were gender effects for PSSC English where female students outperformed the males. The study also revealed significant variations in performance in Foundation Computer studies and PSSC Maths between cohorts.
