2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Unlocking the Secrets of Student Success in Low-Code Platforms: An In-Depth Comparative Analysis

Presented at Programming Education 1

This paper presents a comprehensive exploration of students' experiences with low code platforms, which emphasize high level logic and functionality over intricate coding. This is achieved by utilizing pre-test and post-test questionnaires, Mendix Studio Pro as an exemplar of such platforms, and structured experimentation tasks. The pre-test captures participants' baseline perspectives, while the post-test examines shifts after hands-on interaction. The study addresses research questions concerning demographic correlations, coding backgrounds, attitude changes, coding performance, and qualitative insights. The experiment protocol includes an instructional video, demographic surveys, and three tasks. Descriptive statistics and statistical tests provide insights. Performance discrepancies between IT and non-IT backgrounds are statistically significant. Feedback indicates positive perceptions of low-code.

Authors

Prof. Mariza Tsakalerou http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7427-5002 Nazarbayev University [biography]

Dr. Tsakalerou is an Associate Professor at the School of Engineering and Digital Sciences at Nazarbayev University (NU) and the Director of the Engineering Management Programs.
NU has debuted in the top 30 percent of international research universities in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2024.
Dr. Tsakalerou is an active researcher, practitioner, and academic in innovation management, technology networks, and engineering education. Her current research interests focus on the relationship between group learning modalities and creativity performance.
Dr. Tsakalerou is active in international forums (such as the OECD Idea Factory, the European Innovation Summit, the Joint Institute for Innovation Policy, and the European Higher Education Society) and a contributor to the Asia-Europe Foundation's Education Hub.
Michalis N. Xenos University of Patras
Ms. Semira Maria Evangelou http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2081-0118 University of Patras [biography]

I hold a diploma (5 years Engineering degree with an Integrated M.Sc.) from the Department of Computer Engineering & Informatics at the University of Patras. I also completed a master’s degree in the Human-Computer Interaction field. During my master’s studies, I discovered my passion for UX design and the importance of that field. I am software engineering, who loves exploring complex projects in search of delightful user experiences. I am currently a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Patras and my research interests are mainly focused on Human-Computer Interaction (HCI).

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