Search for: All records

The K–12 broadening participation in computing (BPC) effort re- quires access to comprehensive state and national K–12 data from which stronger strategies for systems change can be developed. The Expanding Computing Education Pathways (ECEP) Alliance Com- mon Metrics Project (CMP) engages state teams that include state and local education agencies, researchers, and other BPC advocates addressing K–12 computer science (CS) inequities in access and participation at the systems level. The CMP promotes collaboration and knowledge sharing, with teams reporting how CMP enhances BPC policy, pathways, and practices to improve student access and participation in computing. This experience report shares how the CMP advances data as a key tool for driving BPC strategies in state advocacy and policy efforts. 

This study aims to examine the current experiences of high school students in computer science (CS) courses and the factors that motivated them to continue their future enrollment. The participants were 603 high school students in grades 9 through 12 in Indiana, all of whom enrolled in at least one CS course during the 2020-2021 academic year. This research revealed that fun and meaningful CS pedagogy, knowledgeable CS teachers, and relevance to their lives and future careers enabled high school students to hold positive experiences in their CS classes. These experiences impacted students to take additional CS courses. In addition to these positive experiences, gender and early exposure to CS emerge as predictors to pursue CS courses. The findings will carry significance for policymakers and educators offering insights to enhance and broaden students’ participation and engagement in the CS course. 

Although it is well known that Black women are underrepresented in computing, less is known about their pre-college experiences. We hypothesize that inequities at the K-12 level result in Black women's underrepresentation in computing, because Black women have accumulated less social capital and are less embedded in courses and organizations related to computing prior to college. This paper reports the initial findings from the first round of a survey designed to gather the pre-college computing experiences of Black women and their peers. Black women in our sample were less likely to report participating in formal computer science (CS) education in school, slightly more likely to report participation in outside-of-school computing programs, about equally as likely to pursue computing experiences independently, and more likely to have had no pre-college computing experiences at all. We found that Black women were less likely to report that they were told they would be a good computer scientist, especially by friends, teachers, and guidance counselors, thus reflecting weaker social connections and lower levels of social capital. These findings suggest that organizational embeddedness or social ties from pre-college computing experiences may indeed be a factor in Black women's underrepresentation in computing and that access to these experiences outside of the formal classroom may be particularly important. The survey is one part of a study that will feature a second round of data collection in another state, analysis of state-level longitudinal data, and interviews with Black women. 

Over the past 20 years, there has been a concentrated effort on expanding K–12 pathways, experiences, and access in computer science education (CSEd). Computer science (CS) is a multifaceted discipline within education, and the current emphasis in education policy has focused on how to expand access for K–12 students in CSEd that will lead to increased innovation and bring new participants into the United States labor economy. Industry partners have advocated for policies and incentives to increase pathways to CS opportunities. This chapter interrogates the side effects of CSEd and offers a framework for considering how side effects impact CS teaching and learning. We highlight the barriers that exist within CS and CSEd and how broadening participation in computing efforts could address longstanding equity and disparity issues.

 

This experience report shares lessons learned when expanding demographic options on an undergraduate survey. The study is designed to better understand the relationship between pre-college computing experiences and the choice to major in computing, particularly focusing on Black women’s experiences. Expansive options for gender (5 plus an openended), race (18 non-mutually-exclusive options), and disability (8) gave respondents more opportunity for specificity. Yet we faced unexpected challenges in analysis and interpretation as we hadn’t considered the implications of being so expansive ahead of time. This paper presents our lessons learned, analysis choices and plans for future iterations of the survey. 

While many efforts have begun to increase the diversity of learners in computing and engineering fields, more inclusive approaches are needed to support learners with intersectional identities across gender, race, ethnicity, and ability. A group of 15 experts across a range of computing, engineering, and data-based disciplines joined experts from education and the social sciences to build a plan for intersectional policy, practices, and research in broadening participation in computing and engineering (BPC/BPE) efforts that is inclusive of gender identity. This paper presents findings from the workshop including near and long term agenda items for intersectional research about the inclusion of gender identity in the computing and engineering education research communities; recommendations for advancing collective understanding of and ability to implement principles of intersectionality in future work and; and highlights from existing work, researchers, and thought leaders on the inclusion of gender identity in BPC/BPE initiatives that inform this research agenda. In this report we’ll discuss the origin of the workshop idea, the experience of pulling together the workshop and lessons learned around implementing it, and finally we’ll report about the outputs and emerging outcomes of the workshop experience. This workshop report will contribute to fostering a space where gender expansive work is valued and valuable for those doing, receiving, and being represented by this work. It will also offer readers the opportunity to conceptualize how to expand and refine the inclusion of gender identity as part of their current and future BPC/BPE initiatives. We end with an explicit call for more gender expansive and gender liberationist work be undertaken through the auspices of ASEE. 

Abstract: It is critical that we understand the systemic issues that have led to the historic marginalization of students in K-12 computer science education (CSEd) to the degree that we can design equity-centered policy and actions. Investments in CSEd have expanded rapidly through local interventions and state policy, however the data required to understand the impact of this expansion continues to lag or be insufficient. This paper takes a retrospective look at efforts to measure broadening participation in computing (BPC) approaches and identifies equity-explicit strategies moving forward, Over the last two decades, efforts to measure BPC have evolved from ad-hoc grassroots methods to more systematic and sustainable approaches. BPC, often interpreted as access and participation, does not address the inherent inequality embedded in the K-12 American public education system. Current data efforts often focus on the student, obscuring the systems and practices that contribute to inequities in CSEd. This paper concludes with recommendations for prioritizing data utilization and the development of holistic data systems that are woven into strategic plans that lead to systems change and equitable student access, participation and experiences in computing. 

Research literature has documented how computer science (CS) teachers are often isolated in their schools and are less likely to collaborate as compared to other subject area teachers. This parallels an emerging body of literature around how teachers leverage professional development opportunities to engage in their practice. However, limited research has empirically studied how professional development opportunities lead to increases in teacher empowerment and spur broadening participation in CS efforts. In this study, we report on a networked improvement community (NIC) focused on connecting CS teachers to their peers, national experts, professional development providers, and researchers to impact teaching practices and guide implementation of policies that lead to increased female participation in CS courses. We report on the role of the NIC to support teachers as school and community change agents. Drawing from focus groups with participating teachers (n=20), we report on a two-year process of learning that involved identifying root causes for female underrepresentation and conducting teacher-led interventions within their classrooms and schools. We detail how a NIC offers a novel approach to facilitate collaboration and empower teachers to implement changes that can impact girls in computer science. Initial data indicate that the collaborative nature of the NIC and its teacher-directed approach to change led to a newfound sense of ownership and empowerment in NIC teachers for addressing the challenge of increasing female participation in CS.