Lost in Translation: Gender and High School Computer Science

Goode, Joanna; Estrella, Rachel; Margolis, Jane

doi:10.7551/mitpress/7272.003.0005

Cited by 3 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 0 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Much of the identity-based scholarship has focused on specific groups (i.e., women, students of color, multilingual students, and students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds) (e.g. Cohoon & Aspray, 2008;Margolis, 2017), but little research explores how these identities intersect to promote identification or disidentification with computing. The latter approach can advance our understanding of the dynamism, multiplicity, and conflictual nature of identity development and the diverse resources that students from intersectional groups bring to bear.…”

Section: Drawing On Multilingual Students' Strong Intersectional Iden...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Asset-based Approaches to Multilingual Students’ Computer Science Identity Development

Jacob,

Warschauer

2023

JCSI

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

While computer science identity development has been examined in several studies, there is much to learn about the development of multilingual students’ computer science (CS) identities. To develop strong CS identities, multilingual students must engage in culturally and linguistically sustaining curriculum, pedagogy, and interaction that draws from their rich and varied resources. This theoretical paper is grounded in a justice-centered, asset-based framework that views the traditions and practices in students’ cultures and communities as strong contributors to knowledge construction in STEM. We draw on multiple studies exploring multilingual student CS identity development to better understand how their personal, familial, community-based, and intersectional experiences can be leveraged to promote equitable CS participation. Based on a synthesis of these studies, we find that educators should engage in the following practices: 1) leveraging multilingual students’ multiple meaning-making resources, 2) connecting classroom learning to informal learning spaces, 3) providing broader contexts for disciplinary practices, 4) offering multiple opportunities for self-expression, and 5) drawing on multilingual students’ strong intersectional identities. Through these practices, we discuss how researchers, practitioners, and policymakers can strengthen multilingual students’ disciplinary identification and overall persistence in CS.

show abstract

Section: Drawing On Multilingual Students' Strong Intersectional Iden...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Asset-based Approaches to Multilingual Students’ Computer Science Identity Development

Jacob,

Warschauer

2023

JCSI

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

A Case Study of a Code Club's Inclusion Policy and How It Is Implemented Online and in the Classroom

Vrieler

2024

2024 IEEE Global Engineering Education Conference (EDUCON)

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Outsiders Within: How Do Black Girls Fit into Computer Science for All?

Mirakhur,

Fancsali,

Hill

2024

ACM Trans. Comput. Educ.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Objectives . At the K-12 level, “CS for All” initiatives across the country strive to increase equitable access to and participation in computer science (CS). However, there are many open questions about the implementation and effectiveness of these initiatives, including the extent to which exposing young people to CS early on can shape their longer-term CS interest and engagement. In this paper, we examine CS participation among 6 th -8 th grade Black girls—and assess whether CS participation during middle school shapes CS interest and engagement during their first year of high school. We focus on Black girls in the hopes of developing a more nuanced and rigorous understanding of computing experiences at the intersection of racism and sexism in this field. Participants . The focal group of students in this study are 6 th -8 th grade Black girls from New York City. We employ a comparative lens in this paper, contextualizing the CS experiences and outcomes of Black girls to Latinas, Asian, and White girls, as well as Black boys. Study Method . We primarily rely on quantitative data for this paper, applying a critical lens to our analyses and interpretation. More specifically, we conduct descriptive analyses of course-taking patterns as well as survey data that focus on student attitudes and beliefs about CS. We then carry out inferential analyses of students’ administrative records examining how, if at all, middle school CS participation is related to high school outcomes for Black girls. We employ a comparative lens and rely on qualitative data to make sense of our results. Findings . We find that, troublingly, Black girls in the district are disproportionately less likely to receive CS instruction in middle school. Black girls are also less likely than Black boys, Latinas, and White girls to feel that they belong in CS. However, Black girls in CS courses report similar levels of engagement, family, and peer support, as well as value for CS relative to other students in the district. Finally, we find that participation in CS courses in middle school does not increase the likelihood that Black girls will select high schools that offer CS courses or take a CS course during their first year of high school. Conclusions . Our findings suggest that to increase equitable access and participation in CS, it is not enough to simply expose students to CS coursework. We call for sustained attention to the experiences that Black girls have in their CS classes as well as broader structural barriers that might shape CS course-taking.

show abstract

Lost in Translation: Gender and High School Computer Science

Cited by 3 publications

References 0 publications

Asset-based Approaches to Multilingual Students’ Computer Science Identity Development

Asset-based Approaches to Multilingual Students’ Computer Science Identity Development

A Case Study of a Code Club's Inclusion Policy and How It Is Implemented Online and in the Classroom

Outsiders Within: How Do Black Girls Fit into Computer Science for All?

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About