Exploring How Novice Programming Students Have Experienced Digital Technology

A recent overhaul of the New Zealand digital technologies curriculum has impacted the way that students are taught to program prior to university. The connection between student experiences with the updated curriculum and their perspectives on programming at university is pedagogically significant to educators. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight students enrolled in introductory programming courses at the University of Auckland, and a thematic analysis was conducted on the range of responses, revealing a surprisingly diverse range of experiences and perspectives. Insights gained into the connection between learning to program in secondary and tertiary, and the impact of the curriculum changes across schools, are informative to educators in both sectors.