The national conversation about STEM education continues. While math and science have been a constant in K-12 and higher education, curriculum in technology and engineering have not been consistently part of the tapestry of American education. As such, there is a dearth of qualified candidates for the ever-growing number of computer science and…

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…

In recent decades, initiatives to diversify post-secondary educational spaces have blossomed. Many of these "broadening participation" efforts are in STEM undergraduate departments that, historically and presently, predominantly serve white men. Using a raced-gendered theoretical lens, we conducted a narrative analysis of interviews with…

Black women remain severely underrepresented in computing despite ongoing efforts to diversify the field. Given that Black women exist at the intersection of both racial and gendered identities, tailored approaches are necessary to address the unique barriers Black women face in computing. However, it is difficult to quantitatively evaluate the…

Computational Thinking (CT) is crucial for the advancement of the STEM field, where there continues to be a lack of female representation. Teaching and learning (T/L) of CT should incorporate didactic strategies that aim to eliminate gender biases and integrate girls/women into this context. In response to the question, "What didactic…

Research has shown that inequitable participation in computer science education is an occupational injustice for students with disabilities, as it is an unfair and inequitable distribution of occupational opportunities. There is limited information regarding how schools' capacity for and access to computer science education relates to the…

Universities are reflections of our societies and are tasked with educating the next generation of experts. The computer science (CS) phenomenon, with its high-paying jobs, attracts more students than ever to the CS undergraduate major. One may wonder why women are underrepresented in the CS major if they constitute half of university enrollment…

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…

In our technology-based society, the field of computer science is integral to the economic, scientific, and security-related arenas of the United States. Despite efforts to diversify the domain of computing, most computing professionals are male. Consequently, girls rarely see female role models working in computing. The disparity between male and…

This study was designed to test how well a commercial intervention with a highly feminized role model (Barbie) worked to improve pre-adolescent girls' interest and performance in computer science. Concurrently, this study examined how overtly feminist texts and images of real women would impact girls compared to the traditional highly feminized…

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…

Black women represent the greatest underrepresentation in STEM fields, particularly the technology sector. According to a 2015 article in "The Verge," Black women make up between 0% and 7% of the staff at the eight largest technology firms in the United States. This points to a glaring problem in terms of equity and inclusivity in the…

We examine three coding bootcamps offered by LaunchCode (LC101, Women+, and CodeCamp) to understand if tailored structures within coding bootcamp programs--designed for underrepresented groups in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM)--lead to increased program persistence for women, underrepresented minorities, and low-income…

Research has shown that e-learning games do not have the same level of appeal to girls, as they do to boys; particularly in the crucial 11-14 age group. In the United Kingdom, this is typically when they start to make subject choices that impact their future studies and careers. Given the shortage of females who choose computer science as a…

Despite the growing popularity of computing bachelor's programs, women remain vastly underrepresented in these fields. Using Social Cognitive Career Theory and intersectionality as guiding theories, this qualitative study explores how postsecondary institutions shape women's experiences choosing and entering computing bachelor's programs.…