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Broadening participation in computing (BPC) has been a key focus of the National Science Foundation (NSF) for over two decades. Its aim is to support students and faculty from historically underrepresented groups, including women, people with disabilities, and certain racial and ethnic groups. Within these communities, the diverse range of gender and sexual identities remains overlooked in computing education research (CER). To address this invisibility, this panel will discuss the benefits of integrating LGBTQIA+ perspectives. The moderator will provide context, define relevant terms, and set ground rules for discussion. The panelists will offer insights from a variety of perspectives, including: a discussion of the policy landscape impacting LGBTQIA+ students and the importance of incorporating their perspectives as researchers and participants; the erasure of queer history in computer science and advocate for LGBTQIA+ inclusion, considering the humanitarian calling for the field and CS educators in our tech-driven world; the current resistance to supporting LGBTQIA+ scholarship in computing, advocating for an inclusive approach; and finally, the experiences of marginalized individuals in CS education and ways to support them, emphasizing inclusivity through storytelling and personal narratives. The panel aims to increase visibility, understanding, and collaboration between the computing education research community and LGBTQIA+ individuals. By acknowledging and integrating diverse perspectives, we can begin to create a more inclusive, equitable computing landscape. 

Evidence-based strategies suggest ways to reduce the gender gap in computing. For example, elective classes are valuable in enabling students to choose in which directions to expand their computing knowledge in areas aligned with their interests. The availability of electives of interest may also make computing programs of study more meaningful to women. However, research on which elective computing topics are more appealing to women is often class or institution specific. In this study, we investigate differences in en- rollment within undergraduate-level elective classes in computing to study differences between women and men. The study combined data from nine institutions from both Western Europe and North America and included 272 different classes with 49,710 student enrollments. These classes were encoded using ACM curriculum guidelines and combined with the enrollment data to build a hier- archical statistical model of factors affecting student choice. Our model shows which elective topics are less popular with all students (including fundamentals of programming languages and parallel and distributed computing), and which elective topics are more pop- ular with women students (including mathematical and statistical foundations, human computer interaction and society, ethics, and professionalism). Understanding which classes appeal to different students can help departments gain insight of student choices and develop programs accordingly. Additionally, these choices can also help departments explore whether some students are less likely to choose certain classes than others, indicating potential barriers to participation in computing. 

The use of synchronous remote learning (SRL) by computing departments to teach classes is increasing. This paper reports survey results of U.S. computing students from 53 classes offered by in 21 U.S. institutions, assessing the extent to which SRL fulfilled their need for social connection. A reliable social presence importance composite variable was created from nine survey questions. Across all demographic categories, respondents report social presence is important and that in-person instruction is easier to accomplish it. Being able to safely sense and engage with peers socially and intellectually is both perceived as important and easier in in-person classes. Students were more likely to prefer the in-person setting for social expression, getting to know other students, and feeling an obligation to engage. A small majority of students prefer in-person learning to remote learning, with 66% finding it easier to learn in person and 47% stating that they would take all classes in person if given the option. Consistent with prior research, students older than 24 showed greater preference for SRL instruction (p<.001). 

When faculty behaviors foster students’ sense of belonging in class, students report better learning experiences and are more likely to remain in the major. Sense of belonging is the feeling of being a valued and legitimate member of a community. Understanding teacher immediacy behaviors that cultivate belonging in postsecondary synchronous remote classrooms is important for retaining students in computing, where remote coursework is increasingly used to address increases in enrollment. This paper reports on an exploratory, survey-based study on the relationship between instructor immediacy behaviors and use of conferencing software features (e.g., chat, breakout rooms) with student sense of belonging in synchronous remote learning environments. Responses from 125 computing students from approximately 53 courses across the US show that students feel a moderate sense of belonging in their courses, with no differences found across demographic groups. Belonging was found to have a strong relationship with students' overall opinions of their courses and their likelihood of completing the major. Students’ camera preferences and instructor camera requirements had no effect on belonging. A regression analysis showed that no tool use variables predicted student sense of belonging. However, two teacher immediacy behaviors, setting aside class time to talk about upcoming course content and use of humor, were significantly associated with an increase in sense of belonging.