Barriers and Self-Efficacy: A Large-Scale Study on the Impact of OSS Courses on Student Perceptions

Abstract

Open source software (OSS) development offers a unique opportunity for students in Software Engineering to experience and participate in large-scale software development, however, the impact of such courses on students' self-efficacy and the challenges faced by students are not well understood. This paper aims to address this gap by analyzing data from multiple instances of OSS development courses at universities in different countries and reporting on how students' self-efficacy changed as a result of taking the course, as well as the barriers and challenges faced by students.