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Computer Science (CS) is not introduced equitably across K-12 schools, yet it is increasingly a necessary skill regardless of vocational pathway. Co-curricular activities such as summer camps have become a popular way to introduce CS to K-12 students. Researchers at our institution, through partnerships with other educational institutions and practitioners, developed a transdisciplinary approach of teaching CS in K-12 informal learning environments. Building on positive results in the K-12 informal learning environment, researchers are exploring the applicability of the transdisciplinary modules in formal instruction for early college learners in CS0 and CS1 courses. This paper explores self-efficacy data collected from multiple CS0 and CS1 courses. Learners include freshmen in computing majors and in non-computing majors. We compare their self efficacy growth in computing across race and gender, considering their formal or informal CS education experiences prior to entering college. This work is a part of a larger effort to redesign CS0 and CS1 courses to introduce more complex concepts and important design concepts such as parallel and distributed computing earlier in the curriculum. The authors’ longer-term goal is to investigate active learning strategies that will introduce higher level computer science topics early in the curriculum to enable students to recognize content applicability earlier in their college pathway. 

Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) has been the foundation for many years for teaching critical thinking and problem-solving skills. The U.S. Department of Education website includes information about the importance of STEM in an increasingly complex world and the importance of all youth to have problem solving skills. Many researchers and practitioners propose moving from using the acronym STEM to science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM). The difference in STEM and STEAM is the inclusion of arts of any kind, aligning artistic creativity with STEM learning. Zimmerman and Sprung concluded that motivation and self-confidence in computing for females is increased when they can learn CS in the context of a content area, they are already comfortable with [1]. Recognizing this cross-disciplinary connection approach, Mississippi State University researchers in 2014 integrated a physical art component module that enabled girls to design robots using crafting material, with positive results. In 2019, the team piloted a 4-day camp that integrated learning dance moves with algorithmic thinking and computer programming. This paper will discuss the results of that camp that was offered in a very small rural town in a southern state in the United States, and how the arts component influenced the learners’ perception of computing. 

Responsive to broadening participation in computing challenges, a collaborative network of higher education, non-profit organizations, K-12 schools, industry representatives, and other stakeholders has been established in Mississippi. Collective alliance initiatives are focused on current and arising challenges in access to computer science and technical education among under-resourced citizens. One program resulting from statewide partnerships that shows promise is the Mississippi Coding Academies. Originally designed to serve the emerging workforce of recent high school students not on a college-bound trajectory, the program is also providing a pathway for persons currently in the workforce who want to retool for the digital economy and accelerate income opportunity and growth. The approach to formal assessment with results thus far, and plans for longitudinal evaluation of the success of this program, is presented. 

Computational thinking is becoming increasingly essential to the development of a competitive and innovative workforce. This study examines work by researchers and practitioners in Mississippi to provide pathways for learning that make computing education accessible for all citizens. Assessments from a K-12 teacher professional development program will be discussed, in addition to outcomes from one year of a workforce development program. 

Responsive to broadening participation challenges, Mississippi State University (MSU) established the Bulldog Bytes Outreach Program in 2013 with a residential summer camp for middle school girls funded through the National Center for Women in Information Technology (NCWIT). Since then the program has grown to provide co-curricular activities to K12 students throughout the state. Following a pilot offering of an elementary camp in 2016, the Bulldog Bytes program delivered two of these camps in small towns during 2017, supporting a strategy of engaging under-resourced students with computing in their home communities. This paper will detail our project-based approach to learning and share experiences from the elementary camps. 

Vemitra White, Sarah Lee, Litany Lineberry, Danielle Grimes, Jessica Ivy 

With the disparity in the percentage of persons with disabilities who complete an undergraduate education and persist on a STEM career pathway compared to those without a disability, there is much work to be done to create equitable and inclusive academic and work environments. Disability inclusion practices promote innovation and provide an accessible space where all abilities are embraced. This paper will provide an overview of inclusion programs that enable students with disabilities to thrive, with particular emphasis on the STEM pathway. It will provide anecdotal stories of students and early college graduates who have benefited from intervention programs. Recommendations for universities and companies on how they may engage and enable persons with disabilities to persist on STEM pathways will be presented 

Responsive to broadening participation challenges, Mississippi State University (MSU) established the Bulldog Bytes Outreach Program in 2013 with a residential summer camp for middle school girls funded through the National Center for Women in Information Technology (NCWIT). Since then the program has grown to provide co-curricular activities to K12 students throughout the state. Following a pilot offering of an elementary camp in 2016, the Bulldog Bytes program delivered two of these camps in small towns during 2017, supporting a strategy of engaging under-resourced students with computing in their home communities. This paper will detail our project-based approach to learning and share experiences from the elementary camps. 

The persistence and attrition of underrepresented minority (URM) students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) continues to remain a steadfast problem in education and the workforce. Research has shown that educators, administrators, and policy makers all play a vital role in shaping the future generation of STEM education, programs and the workforce, however, much of the research is deficient in providing URM student perceptions on how key factors such as student engagement, financial support, higher education preparation and institutional environment all impact their persistence in the STEM pipeline. This study employs qualitative research methods, semi-structured interviews and casual conversations to gain insight on common trends for the persistence of four (2 males, 2 females) URM students that were enrolled in a 2012 Summer Bridge Program at Mississippi State University (MSU), a predominately large white institution (PWI). Within this study, emphasis will be placed on the engineering branch of STEM. The research found that small diverse organizations such as NSBE and IMAGE along with financial support in the form of scholarships and alumni waivers, and pre-freshmen summer engineering programs such as Summer Bridge played a major role in URM student persistence in engineering disciplines.