This case study focuses on the implementation and analysis of critical algorithmic literacy (CAL) lessons in two grade 3/4 combination classes. The study involves one elementary school teacher and 36 students from a K-6 school in Southern California. By analyzing various data sources, I identified trends that could be helpful for future…

This dissertation presents the results and outcomes of an effort to design educational tools and curriculum to improve student learning in introductory programming courses. The work was conducted at the University of California, Merced (UC Merced), situated in the Central Valley of California, and home to a diverse student population. The findings…

Academic entrepreneurship refers to university faculty engagement in commercialization of research and innovative activities that are beyond their academic work in research, teaching, and service in their university. Academic entrepreneurship includes three types of entrepreneurial activities: academic patenting, technology licensing, and…

Over the last decade the Bay Area region has witnessed a lack of diversity in Silicon Valley technology professions, a subject of current political and popular discourse. The California State University (CSU) system provides accessible higher education; the CSU system approach to accessible higher education affirms the distinctness of regions,…

Where are the women in computing? This dissertation explores the underrepresentation of women in computing as a cultural issue. After considering the role of women in the history of computing, it examines contemporary interventions to address gender bias and promote gender diversity in the tech sector and Silicon Valley. Not for profit…

Information technology is now ubiquitous in higher education institutions worldwide. More than 85% of American universities use e-learning systems to supplement traditional classroom activities. An obvious benefit of these online tools is their ability to automatically grade exercises submitted by students and provide immediate feedback. Most of…

In this dissertation, I explored the pedagogical content knowledge of in-service high school educators recently assigned to teach computer science for the first time. Teachers were participating in a professional development program where they co-taught introductory computing classes with tech industry professionals. The study was motivated by…

Over the past decade, three rationales have emerged for emphasizing the reinforcement of the United States' science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) pipeline. The first rationale pertains to U.S. global competitiveness, the second revolves around the benefits of a diverse workforce, and the third argument points to social justice…