Dr Jacqueline Chetty

Dr Jacqueline Chetty

School of Computer Science
Associate Professor
Equality and Diversity Lead of Computer Science

Contact details

Address
Computer Science
University of Birmingham
Edgbaston
Birmingham
B15 2TT
UK

Dr Chetty received her PhD in Computer Science Education in South Africa in 2016. She moved to the UK in 2018, taking up a position at the University of Kent as the Student Success Manager. In 2020 she joined University of Birmingham as an Assistant Professor, promoted to Associate Professor in 2024.

Qualifications

  • Fellow Higher Education Academy (FHEA) granted due to PGCHE qualification, January 2020.
  • PGCHE at the University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent, United Kingdom, November 2019.
  • Doctor of Philosophy in Education with specialization towards Computer Science Education at University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa, September 2016.
  • Magister Philosophiae (Information Technology) at Rand Afrikaans University (merged in 2005 as University of Johannesburg), Johannesburg, South Africa, May 2005.
  • Baccalaureus Technologiae (Information Technology) at Technikon Witwatersrand (merged in 2005 as University of Johannesburg), Johannesburg, South Africa, 2001.
  • National Higher Diploma Information Technology at Technikon Witwatersrand (merged in 2005 as University of Johannesburg), Johannesburg, South Africa, 1995.
  • National Diploma Computer Data Processing at Technikon Port Elizabeth, Port Elizabeth, South Africa, 1991.

Biography

Dr Chetty is an educator and researcher in computer science education with a focus on assessment design, formative feedback, and the pedagogical implications of large language models (LLMs) in programming education. Her work examines how assessment practices can be adapted to promote fairness, authenticity, and academic integrity in increasingly AI-rich learning environments.

She leads Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) activity within the school, working to embed inclusive practice across teaching, assessment, and staff development. Her EDI role focuses on addressing barriers to participation, supporting equitable learning experiences, and fostering inclusive academic cultures within computing education.

Jacqueline’s research adopts design-based research methodologies and includes recent work on proctored and multi-stage assessments aimed at mitigating plagiarism while supporting genuine skill development. She has extensive experience teaching both undergraduate and post-graduate programming and is committed to evidence-informed practice that balances institutional constraints with meaningful, inclusive learning.

Her research interests include AI-supported feedback, assessment validity, inclusive assessment design, and equality-focused approaches to developing programming competence.

Teaching

  • Software Workshop 1 (Python programming fundamentals and OOP)
  • Software Workshop 2 (Web development using Flask framework)

Postgraduate supervision

  • Currently supervising one PhD who is completing their thesis in design-based research.

Research

Current research topics:

  • Gamification
  • Teaching and learning within a COVID-19 environment

Other activities

Committees within the department of computer science:

  • EDI
  • Athena Swan

Publications

Book Chapters (peer reviewed)

  • Chetty, J. (2017), Combating the war against machines: An innovative approach to coding (chapter), Title of book: Robotics in STEM Education: Redesigning the Learning Experience, Springer, ISBN: 978-3-319-57785-2, Khine (Ed)

Journal Papers (peer reviewed)

  • Claudia Favero, Neil Cooke, Zena Green, Jacqueline Chetty, Neil Drury, Holly Foss, Iain Kings, Ilija Rasovic (2025), Engineering student belonging: towards an operational framework, Beyond Boundaries: Inclusive, Sustainable and Outward Looking Engineering Education
  • Marnewick, C. & Chetty, J (2021). Mining and crafting a game to teach research methodology. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, Springer, 18:62
  • Dennis Bouvier, Ellie Lovellette, John Matta, Jing Bai, Jacqueline Chetty, Stan Kurkovsky, and Jia Wan. (2019). Factors Affecting the Adoption of Peer Instruction in Computing Courses. In Proceedings of the Working Group Reports on Global Computing Education (CompEd-WGR ’19). Association for Computing Machinery, New York, NY, USA, 1–25. DOI
  • Chetty, J. (2015), The Notion of Lego© Mindstorms as a Powerful Pedagogical Tool: Scaffolding Learners Through Computational Thinking and Computer Programming, IIE journal, South Africa, 10(1), p. 69 - 84
  • Chetty, J. & Barlow-Jones, G. (2014), Novice Students and Computer Programming: Toward Constructivist Pedagogy, Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences, Italy, 5(14), p. 240 - 251

Conference Papers (peer reviewed)

  • Chetty, j (2025), Evaluating ChatGPT’s effectiveness in formative assessment practices for CS education: a SWOT analysis, ICICTE conference 2025, Greece
  • Cooke, Neil; Chetty, Jacqueline; Favero, Claudia; Green, Zena; Drury, Neil; Joubert, Pieter. (2023), Engineering student belonging to prevent early leavers through curriculum decolonization, academic self-concept, and psychologically safe teamwork, SEFI Conference 2023, Dublin, Ireland
  • Barlow-Jones, G. & Chetty, J. (2020), Differing perspectives of IT student expectations at HEI’s: A South African and UK Narrative, ICICTE 2020, Greece
  • Chetty, J. & Barlow-Jones, G. (2018), Coding for girls: dismissing the boys club myth, ICICTE 2018, Greece
  • Chetty, J. & van der Westhuizen, D. (2017), The use of learning tools for active knowledge construction to develop coding skills, EdMedia2017, Washington, USA
  • Chetty, J. (2015), Lego Mindstorms: Merely a Toy or a Powerful Pedagogical Tool for Learning Computer Programming?, Australasian Computer Science Conference (ACSC) 2015, Sydney, Australia
  • Chetty, J. & van der Westhuizen, D. (2015), Towards a Pedagogical Design for Teaching Novice Programmers: Design-based Research as an Empirical Determinant for Success, Koli Calling, Finland
  • Olakanmi, E., van der Westhuizen, D. & Chetty, J. (2015), Promoting Metacognitive Skills Among Undergraduate First Year Students Studying Computer Programming Using Mobile Devices, EdMedia, Canada
  • Barlow-Jones, G., Chetty, J. & Joubert, P. (2015), Does it matter if a first-year programming student is digitally literate?  The effect of digital literacy on a student’s performance in computer programming, Greece
  • Joubert, P. Barlow-Jones, G., & Chetty, J. (2015), Are Programmers Born or Made? Comparing Aptitude Tests with the Final Marks of Second-year Programming Students
  • Chetty, J., Barlow-Jones, G., & Joubert, P. Supporting Learning: Toward a Consolidated Tutoring System for IT Students
  • Chetty J., van der Westhuizen D. (2014), Toward a Pedagogy Centering on Computer Programming For Learners in South Africa: An Educational Design Research Approach, EdMedia2014, Tampere, Finland
  • Chetty J., van der Westhuizen D. (2014), Implementing Metacognition Skills for Learners Studying Computer Programming, EdMedia2014, Tampere, Finland
  • Chetty J. (2014), Student Competency Amongst First Years Learning Computer Programming: Expect The Expected?, ISTE 2014, Kruger National Park, South Africa
  • Chetty J. (2014), Toward An Authentic Set Of Programming Strategies For Teaching-And-Learning Computer Programming, ISTE 2014, Kruger National Park, South Africa
  • Chetty J., van der Westhuizen D. (2013), The Transient Emotions and Conceptions of Novice Students Crossing a Threshold While Learning to Program: A Phenomenographic Study – EdMedia 2013, Victoria, Canada, June 2013
  • Chetty J., van der Westhuizen D. (2013), “I hate programming” and other oscillating emotions experienced by novice students learning computer programming – EdMedia 2013, Victoria, Canada, June 2013
  • Chetty J., van der Westhuizen D. (2013), Metacognitive awareness and skill amongst students studying computer programming, UNISA 2013, Kruger National Park, October 2013
  • Chetty J., The Effects of a Social Constructivist Pedagogy on At-risk Students Completing a Computer Programming Course at a Post-secondary Institution – EdMedia2012, Colorado, USA, June 2012
  • Chetty J., Barlow-Jones G., Bridging the Gap:  The Role of Mediated Transfer for Computer Programming – ICET2012, Cape Town, August 2012
  • Chetty J., Integrating teaching-and-learning techniques for novice computer programming students – Glearn2012, Europe/North America, November 2012
  • Chetty J., Coetzee M., Information Security For Service Oriented Computing:  Ally or Antagonist – FARES international conference, Austria, August 2011
  • Chetty J., Coetzee M., The supportive role of service contract design for service governance – ZAWWW2011, Johannesburg, September 2011
  • Chetty J., Coetzee M., Towards an Information Security Framework for a Service-oriented architecture – ISSA conference, August 2010
  • Chetty J., Coetzee M., Evaluating information security controls applied by service-oriented architecture (SOA) governance frameworks - ISSA conference, July 2009
  • Chetty J., Coetzee M., Considering metadata for the governance of e-service collaborations – ZAWWW conference, September 2009

View all publications in research portal