Exploring Computer Literacy Variance: Insights from an Introductory Statistical Programming Class

When teaching entry-level statistical programming at universities, educators may wonder if they are alone in facing the challenge of spending valuable time explaining computer basics, such as file management. To better understand the knowledge gaps of students, we investigated the varying levels of computer literacy among university students enrolled in introductory statistical programming courses at a leading German university. We conducted and analyzed surveys among university students from three years, and we included similar questions in a general population survey to identify gaps in device usage, computer proficiency, and computational thinking. We refined existing instruments for capturing computer literacy and our refined instruments are open for re-use. Our findings reveal and discuss the heterogeneity in foundational computer skills in the context of students’ different majors, their varying secondary education, and the growing reliance on mobile devices.