Anticipating Students' Preferences: Investigating Factors Influencing the Choice between Block-Code and SourceCode Programming

Abstract

This study explores behavioral factors influencing students' choice between block-code programming (BCP) and source-code programming (SCP) among Community College students in Malaysia. Two hundred and twenty-six IT certificate students participated, answering questions based on the Technology Acceptance Model and Theory of Planned Behavior using a Likert scale survey. Analysis using structural equation modeling revealed that attitudes towards technology and behavior strongly influenced students' preference for BCP over SCP. However, further investigation into how these behaviors impact programming learning is needed. The study's findings emphasize the importance of perceived usefulness, ease of use, and subjective norms in students' preference for BCP. With substantial R2 effect sizes (0.864), the study underscores the significant influence of perceived usefulness (PU), perceived ease of use (PEU), and subjective norms (SN) on BCP adoption behavior. The implications of these findings extend to policymakers and educators, providing valuable insights for refining computing education standards. Moreover, the study lays the groundwork for future research, offering a deeper understanding of block-code programming's role in the digital education transition.