Exposed! CS Faculty Caught Lecturing in Public: A Survey of Instructional Practices

Abstract

Many research studies show students benefit from instructional practices that promote student interaction within the classroom. However, recent prominent reports suggest many instructors still rely on lecture as their dominant classroom activity. This paper reports on a survey of U.S. computer science teaching practices. Responses indicate many CS instructors use student-centered instructional practices but evidence suggests students would benefit from additional use of these practices. Twenty percent of CS instructors report "student-centered activities" are prominent in their classroom. CS instructors are more likely to use student-centered practices than those in other science disciplines but less likely to do so than colleagues in non-science fields. Female CS instructors are more likely to structure their courses around student-centered practices than their male colleagues.