Developing the tools and methodologies to benchmark, evaluate, and examine identity-inclusive computing education.
To gain an accurate and thorough understanding of the current state of the field and assess progress over time, the AiiCE Research Constellation is pioneering research on race; cultural competence; degree entry, retention, and completion; department climate, and more.
K-12 Activities
To effectively support the professional learning of K-12 CS teachers and the development of IIC curricula, pedagogy, and policy, the Alliance must better understand teachers as well as their contexts, needs, and abilities on an ongoing basis. CSTA and the Kapor Center are distributing a biennial, national survey of K-12 CS teachers to understand teacher cultural competence and knowledge and use of identity-inclusive strategies.
Postsecondary Activities
The 3C Survey (led by Duke) calculates individual cultural competence scores based on participant (faculty/staff/student) responses. The instrument can be used to study the impact and effectiveness of course/department interventions and complement retention/degree analysis
Duke also leads the study of undergraduate perceptions of race in computing: a mixed-methods study of student perceptions of and experiences related to race.
Bard developed the Longitudinal Computing Degree Completion Data App which provides accurate, long-term data on computing degrees earned by a specific population cohort at Title IV-eligible institutions. The app focuses on the percentage of a cohort's degrees, rather than showing the total degrees in the field.
This work will strengthen understanding of CS entry, retention, and degree attainment by 1) developing an online tool that performs by-cohort analysis to assess institutional performance relative to nationwide norms, 2) Evaluating departmental retention [specifically, from CS1 to CS2 and from CS1 to the CS major (where possible, performing by-cohort analysis)], 3) Performing a comprehensive by-cohort analysis of national data on CS intent to major, generated by national surveys of entering first-year college students and comparing to analyses of other disciplines, 4) Performing analysis of the four-year stagger, comparing intent to major with earned CS degrees.