Are they learning what (we think) we're teaching?

Experience in physics education has revealed that even in courses that assess well, students often have serious misconceptions about fundamental concepts. A concept inventory is an instrument used to demonstrate and measure this anomalous effect. In physics education, use of the Force Concept Inventory and related instruments has facilitated true reform. Indeed, many educators view concept inventories as a key tool for change in any STEM subject. To date, there has been little work to develop concept inventories for use in CS education. This panel describes efforts to develop and encourage the use of such instruments for the computing field, initially for Discrete Mathematics (DM) as taught in CS programs and later for CS1 and CS2. Such instruments have potential for supporting investigations into important questions regarding the teaching of DM and the impact of different approaches on the development of CS1/CS2 skills.