This article illustrates the potential for hackathons to serve as an innovative educational tool in addressing the underrepresentation of minority communities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. Using Merced, California--a region recognised for its agricultural economy, socioeconomic disparities, and diverse…

Gender imbalance in the technology sector is a long-standing issue. For several decades, Computer Science (CS) outreach activities have become an established strategy for encouraging girls to pursue courses and careers in the field of computing. However, it is not clear how impactful these initiatives are, or what elements make them valuable. A…

This report focuses on the NYC Computer Science for All (CS4All) initiative's efforts to build schools' capacity to expand access to CS across the district. Launched in 2015, CS4All aimed to provide a meaningful CS experience to every student at least once within each grade band (K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12). As the initiative matured, it also began to…

Motivating girls to enroll in computer science (CS) courses is critically important. Stereotypes that girls are less interested than boys in CS may deter girls. Three preregistered experimental studies (N = 1,053) examined causal links between gender-interest stereotypes and middle school students' CS motivation. Experiment 1 showed that…

The increasing demand for computer science (CS) skills underscores the importance of integrating CS education into K-12 curricula to best prepare students for a digitally-driven society. Despite significant progress in expanding access to CS courses, disparities in participation persist, especially among historically underrepresented groups. This…

Background and context: Despite the growing importance of computer science (CS) education, high-quality CS curricula for students in kindergarten to lower elementary grades are lacking. It is also unclear how students from underrepresented groups such as female students, students from low socioeconomic status, and students with disability respond…

Background: Computing degree programs have struggled immensely over the years with broadening participation in the field. In the United States, scholars and educators alike have grappled with the many barriers that impede the participation of women and people of color and exacerbate the education debt so prevalent in computing.…

This paper explores how minoritized Computer Science (CS) students articulate their sense of critical agency to positively impact the world around them, both for today and the future, when participating in a Girls Who Code program focused on ethics, equity, and underrepresentation in computing. Observations, interviews, and surveys were conducted…

The underrepresentation of women in Engineering, Technology, and Computing (ETC) education, with enrollments in leading global institutions falling below 30%, is a persistent challenge; however, emerging data suggests the efficacy of structured interventions. Analyses of contemporary data demonstrate that a confluence of institutional,…

METRICS was a 5-year grant program funded by the U.S. Department of Education designed to immerse elementary school students in computer science. METRICS components included 1) creation and implementation of rigorous computer science curriculum units and assessments to support STEM coursework connected across all subjects through problem-based…

Aiming to promote equity in computing, this study proposes an educational model that offers an alternative approach to inspire K-12 students to become interested in CS and develop their computational thinking (CT) skills. It also examines the experience of marginalized students during the COVID pandemic in a learning environment grounded in the…

Although there have been efforts to broaden the participation of underrepresented students in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), few studies have focused on how Latine bilingual students in rural contexts can access computer programming. The purpose of this case study is to examine how translanguaging facilitates…

In order to rectify the historical marginalization of Black workers in computing fields, many academic and industrial initiatives have been established to increase the diversity and inclusion in the tech industry. In this study, we explored how one particular post-secondary education program at one historically black institution known as the…

Indigenous communities remain among the most underrepresented groups in computing and STEM fields, facing systemic barriers to equitable participation in computer science (CS) education. This study examines how Indigenous-serving teachers, through a sustained professional development (PD) program, design and implement culturally responsive…