skip to main content
US FlagAn official website of the United States government
dot gov icon
Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
https lock icon
Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( lock ) or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Explore Research Products in the PAR
It may take a few hours for recently added research products to appear in PAR search results.


Title: Intersectionality in the narratives of black women in computing through the education and workforce pipeline
Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate the narratives of 93 Black women in computing in the USA to identify salient themes that are at the intersection of race and gender in the field of computer science. Design/methodology/approach The study uses a multi-method approach with a survey to describe the sample and a series of focus groups for in-depth analysis of themes. The qualitative methodology uses a grounded theory and consensual qualitative research approach with a research team that includes computer scientists and social scientists to collect and analyze data. Given the highly technical field of computer science and the intersectional experiences of the participants, this approach was optimal to capture and code data through the lens of Black women in computing. Findings The authors found four main themes that represented specific needs for Black women in the computing community. The first is the importance of linking Black women in computing (i.e. their recruitment, retention and career growth) to the bottom line of organizational and personal accountability. The second is effective cultural and educational supports for Black women in computing across pathways, starting in middle school. The third is to provide leadership development as a part of their educational and workplace experience. The fourth is a collection of empirical research and scholarship about and for Black women as a part of the computing literature. Originality/value Black women comprise one of the most underrepresented subgroups in the area of computer science in the USA. There is very little research about Black women in computing. To promote broadened participation in computing, there is a critical need to understand the narratives of successful Black women in the space.  more » « less
Award ID(s):
1747756
PAR ID:
10285886
Author(s) / Creator(s):
;
Date Published:
Journal Name:
Journal for Multicultural Education
Volume:
13
Issue:
3
ISSN:
2053-535X
Page Range / eLocation ID:
215 to 235
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
More Like this
  1. ; (, ACM Transactions on Computing Education)
    Norms and values in computing education are constantly changing as dominant narratives about the role of computing in society evolve over time. Within the current evolving landscape of computing education, researchers and practitioners have advocated for ensuring people from all backgrounds, and particularly women, non-binary, and Black, Indigenous, and Latinx people, are able to participate equitably within the field of computing. Yet, the values of computing educational experiences are narrowly framed within career outcomes, such as securing a career in computing, leaving many important experiences and ways of participating in the field out of the picture. To address this, we conducted reflective interviews with women who participated in broadening participation in computing (BPC) programs to understand their perceptions of computing and how it aligns (or not) with what they value about their experiences in computing learning environments. We investigate the following research questions: (1) How do women who participated in BPC programs describe their perceptions of computing? (2) How do those perceptions align or misalign with the program outcomes they valued? The findings from our study call attention to tensions arising from centering “computing careers” in BPC work and highlight the outcomes of participation valued by the women in our study, such as developing communities and relationships, gaining communication skills, and expanding perspectives on skills computer scientists should possess. 
    more » « less
  2. ; ; ; (, Proceedings of the 53rd ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education V. 1 (SIGCSE 2022))
    Underrepresentation of Black and Hispanic women in computer science is a long-standing problem that looks bleak at every level - undergraduate and graduate. This is prompting scholars to explore reasons for these low participation rates. One framework used to understand participation and persistence in STEM fields is identity. Prior work in computer science education suggest that identity is a strong indicator of persistence in these fields. However, it is hard to understand students’ perception of identity without also under- standing ontological beliefs with regards to a computer scientist. In this study, we explore the nature of a computer scientist. Guided by social identity theory, we designed a study that asked students to describe their definition or ontological belief of what constitutes a computer scientist in contrast to their ability to ascribe a com- puter science identity to self. Leveraging qualitative methods, we interviewed n= 24 women in computer science (Black and Hispanic, undergraduate and graduate students), in order to explore the role their ontological beliefs had on their computer science identity salience. The research questions guiding this work are: (1) How do Black and Hispanic women describe or define computer scientists? (2) What impact does this definition have on Black and Hispanic women’s ability to claim a computing identity? Results suggest that the wide variation in definitions has a negative impact on computer science identity salience. The findings from this work suggest that computing should consider the impacts of the current messaging of what constitutes a computer scientist. 
    more » « less
  3. ; (, ACM Transactions on Computing Education)
    We aim to understand, from a motivational perspective, how Black undergraduate women in computing make sense of their intersectional computing experiences. We examine their motivation to major in computing, their experiences as Black women in computing, and how these vary across institutional contexts. A sample of 77 Black undergraduate women in computing programs (computer science, computer engineering, information systems, information technology, and software engineering) from diverse college settings was recruited to participate in the study. Participants responded to an online survey that included several Likert-scale measures for identity, motivation and retention variables, demographic questions, and two open-ended questions:andWhat is it like for you to be a Black female student in computing? Findings.Key themes that emerged from our quantitative and qualitative analyses revealed the range of motivational factors driving Black undergraduate women to study computing and the nuances across their intersectional experiences in the computing education context. Additionally, Black undergraduate women located in HBCU computing education contexts demonstrated both similar and unique perspectives and experiences compared to their counterparts in non-HBCU settings. Conclusions.In addition to the isolation, pressure, power dynamics and epistemic violence experienced by Black women in the intersectional computing education context, the findings of this study display the unique cultural-social-psychological strengths of Black women in their positive valence and resilience, as well as their joy, empowerment, and achievement in computing. Increasing and complicating our knowledge of the motivations and intersectional experiences of Black women in undergraduate computing education, as well as understanding when and how their beliefs and perspectives vary across institutional context, will better inform efforts to retain them and promote their success both in college and into their careers. 
    more » « less
  4. ; ; ; ; ; (, Journal of Computing in Higher Education)
    This paper offers a synthesis on computing identity and the experiences of women and minoritized populations in computing and computer science in higher education. Examining computing identity and its role in the computing experiences of minoritized undergraduates can help us better understand ways to engage and support women and minoritized individuals in the computing field thus increasing participation and persistence of these groups in computing. In this article, we present a review of research literature on computing identity within the experiences of women and minoritized undergraduate students in computing. The research questions guiding this work are: (1) What research literature exists about computing identity?, (2) According to existing literature, what are the experiences of women and racially minoritized undergraduates in computing (e.g., persons who identify as Black, Hispanic/Latinx, Indigenous people)?, and (3) What theoretical frameworks are used to guide existing computing identity literature? Emergent themes include the need to focus on exposure to computing, persistence, career expectations, and engagement. While there is no consensus on a computer identity framework, there is research guided by social cognitive career theory, social identity theory, and practice theory. We conclude that computing identity, including its multiple conceptualizations, offers multiple opportunities for informing and broadening participation of minoritized populations in computing. Future research should include further conceptual exploration of computing identity. 
    more » « less
  5. ; ; ; ; (, Journal of Women and Minorities in Science and Engineering)
    Pathways to the professoriate for women in computer science are narrow and fraught with barriers. These obstacles are further exacerbated at the intersections of race and gender. Black women (who make up 6.4% of the U.S. population) comprise only 1.1% of computer science undergraduate degrees and < 1% of computer science PhDs. Despite these paltry numbers, one computer science PhD program may have found the combination of factors necessary to widen the pathway by engaging in strategic recruitment, developing communities of practice, and providing strong mentorship for women of color in computer science. Guided primarily by intersectionality theory, social identity theory, and landscapes of practice, this single case study explored the experiences of Black women in pursuit of their doctorate in computer science at a predominantly white institution to answer the research questions: (1) How do Black women graduate students in computer science describe their computer science identity? (2) How do landscapes of practice influence computer science identity formation or salience of Black women in a computer science graduate program? Thematic analysis of this case revealed three common themes within their experiences: moments of impact, boundary spanning, and community residence. These themes, all of which revolve around ideas of community and support, are critical to understanding a key discovery of this study: why a sense of belonging, rather than identity salience (as much research suggests), was the best indicator of the women’s persistence. 
    more » « less
  • Citation Formats
  • MLA
  • APA
  • Chicago
  • BibTeX
  • Save / Share this Record
  • Send to Email