Rate My Professor Patricia Haden

Patricia Haden is currently employed as a Programmer in the Scientific Programming team of the Information Technology Services Division at the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand. Holding a Master of Science (MS) degree, her professional trajectory includes significant contributions to educational technology and computing pedagogy. In the late 1990s, she served as the medical school computer-assisted learning developer at the University of Otago Medical School, where she co-authored work on pilot studies for in-course assessment in the undergraduate medical curriculum. Transitioning to Otago Polytechnic, she advanced to the role of Principal Lecturer in Software Development within the School of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). In this capacity, she instructed courses in software development for the Bachelor of Information Technology, as well as statistics and research methods for the Bachelor of Applied Science.

Haden's academic interests and research specializations focus on computing education, with a particular emphasis on introductory programming courses and supporting novice programmers. Her extensive publication record, exceeding 30 papers with over 1,300 citations, explores critical issues such as predictors of success in first-year programming, student strategies and mental models, pair programming efficacy, learning edge momentum, and emotional affect in CS1 courses. Key publications include "Programmed to Succeed? A Multi-national, Multi-institutional Study of Introductory Programming Courses" (2004), "My Program is Correct, But It Doesn't Run: A Preliminary Investigation of Novice Programmers' Problems" (2005), "Can You Learn to Teach Programming in Two Days?" (2016), "Student Affect in CS1" (2017), and "Otago Polytechnic Accessibility Software Hub: An Open Source Repository of Accessibility Software" (2017, co-authored with David Rozado). She has been involved in international collaborations, including with researchers from the University of Otago's Department of Computer Science. In recognition of her research contributions, Haden received the Staff Excellence Award for Excellence in Research in 2012 at Otago Polytechnic. Additionally, she has provided statistical analysis support for interdisciplinary projects, such as studies on breastfeeding and midwifery practices. Her work has influenced pedagogical practices in computing education across institutions.