ABSTRACT Background and Context: The relationship between novices’ first programming language and their future achievement has drawn increasing interest owing to recent efforts to expand K–12 computing education. This article contributes to this topic by analyzing data from a retrospective study of more than 10,000 undergraduates enrolled in introductory computer science courses at 118 U.S. institutions of higher education. Objective: We explored the relationship between students’ first programming languages and both their final grades in an introductory computer science course and their attitudes about programming. Method: Multiple matching techniques compared those whose first language was graphical (e.g., Scratch), textual (e.g., Java), or absent prior to college. Findings: Having any prior programming experience had positive effects on both attitudes about programming and grades in introductory computer science courses. Importantly, students whose first language was graphical had higher grades than did students whose first language was textual, when the languages were introduced in or before early adolescent years. Implications: Learning any computer language is better than learning none. If programming is to be taught to students before early adolescence, it is advised to start with a graphical language. Future work should investigate the transition between different types of programming languages.

中文翻译：

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第一编程语言对大学生计算态度和成绩的影响：图形和文本语言的比较

摘要 背景和背景：由于最近扩大 K-12 计算教育的努力，新手的第一门编程语言与其未来成就之间的关系引起了越来越多的兴趣。本文通过分析对在美国 118 所高等教育机构就读计算机科学入门课程的 10,000 多名本科生进行的回顾性研究的数据，对这一主题做出了贡献。目标：我们探讨了学生的第一门编程语言与他们在计算机科学入门课程中的最终成绩以及他们对编程的态度之间的关系。方法：多种匹配技术比较了那些第一语言是图形（例如，Scratch）、文本（例如，Java）或大学之前没有的语言。发现：任何先前的编程经验对计算机科学入门课程的编程态度和成绩都有积极影响。重要的是，当这些语言在青春期早期或之前被引入时，第一语言是图形的学生比第一语言是文本的学生有更高的成绩。含义：学习任何计算机语言都比不学好。如果要在青春期早期向学生教授编程，建议从图形语言开始。未来的工作应该调查不同类型的编程语言之间的转换。当这些语言在青春期早期或之前被引入时。含义：学习任何计算机语言都比不学好。如果要在青春期早期向学生教授编程，建议从图形语言开始。未来的工作应该调查不同类型的编程语言之间的转换。当这些语言在青春期早期或之前被引入时。含义：学习任何计算机语言都比不学好。如果要在青春期早期向学生教授编程，建议从图形语言开始。未来的工作应该调查不同类型的编程语言之间的转换。