research-article

Quantifying Disparities in Computing Education: Access, Participation, and Intersectionality

Authors:

Jayce R. Warner,

Carol L. Fletcher,

Nicole D. Martin,

Michelle KennedyAuthors Info & Claims

SIGCSE '21: Proceedings of the 52nd ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education

Pages 619 - 625

https://doi.org/10.1145/3408877.3432392

Published: 05 March 2021 Publication History

Abstract

Quantitative research in CS education has suffered from inattention to complexities inherent in measuring educational equity. This study aims to tease apart the complexities of educational equity and advance the field by developing a disparity index for quantifying inequities and using it to investigate the importance of accounting for intersectionality and distinguishing between access to and participation in CS education. This descriptive study analyzed student demographic and course-taking data for N=1,537,073 high school students in Texas. Results showed the disparity index can be a useful tool for quantifying and assessing equity in CS education. Disparities in terms of access to and participation in CS education were compounded for students who were members of multiple underrepresented subpopulations (e.g., rural Black females). Disparities differed between measures of access and participation. Implications of this study are that accounting for the intersectionality of students' multiple social identities and distinguishing between access and participation in quantitative measures are key to understanding (and thus addressing) the complexities of educational equity.

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Cited By

Childs JZarch RDunton SMadkins TTrautmann KTaylor ZJacobson MOzturk SOttenbreit-Leftwich A(2024)Advancing Equity and Access: Addressing the Side Effects of Broadening Participation in Computer Science K–12 EducationReview of Research in Education10.3102/0091732X24128647548:1(121-153)Online publication date: 28-Oct-2024
https://doi.org/10.3102/0091732X241286475
Saffar Perez MLewis CPearson TStrickland CIsrael M(2024)Predictors of K-12 CS Teacher Isolation and Course OfferingsProceedings of the 2024 on RESPECT Annual Conference10.1145/3653666.3656098(35-42)Online publication date: 16-May-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3653666.3656098
Lee CWarner JGarvin MMcCann CZarch RBrown BGoldwasser TPearson TStrickland CIsrael M(2024)Gender and Racial Disparities in College Admissions and Computing Programs: The Future of Black Women in the Face of Widespread Anti-DEI LegislationProceedings of the 2024 on RESPECT Annual Conference10.1145/3653666.3656087(65-74)Online publication date: 16-May-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3653666.3656087
Show More Cited By

Index Terms

Quantifying Disparities in Computing Education: Access, Participation, and Intersectionality
1. Social and professional topics
  1. Professional topics
    1. Computing education
      1. K-12 education

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cover image ACM Conferences

SIGCSE '21: Proceedings of the 52nd ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education

March 2021

1454 pages

ISBN:9781450380621

DOI:10.1145/3408877

General Chairs:
Mark Sherriff
University of Virginia, USA
,
Laurence D. Merkle
Air Force Institute of Technology, USA
,
Program Chairs:
Pamela Cutter
Kalamazoo College, USA
,
Alvaro Monge
California State University, Long Beach, USA
,
Judithe Sheard
Monash University, Australia

Copyright © 2021 ACM.

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Published: 05 March 2021

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SIGCSE '21: The 52nd ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education

March 13 - 20, 2021

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Overall Acceptance Rate 1,595 of 4,542 submissions, 35%

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The 56th ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education

February 26 - March 1, 2025

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Cited By

Childs JZarch RDunton SMadkins TTrautmann KTaylor ZJacobson MOzturk SOttenbreit-Leftwich A(2024)Advancing Equity and Access: Addressing the Side Effects of Broadening Participation in Computer Science K–12 EducationReview of Research in Education10.3102/0091732X24128647548:1(121-153)Online publication date: 28-Oct-2024
https://doi.org/10.3102/0091732X241286475
Saffar Perez MLewis CPearson TStrickland CIsrael M(2024)Predictors of K-12 CS Teacher Isolation and Course OfferingsProceedings of the 2024 on RESPECT Annual Conference10.1145/3653666.3656098(35-42)Online publication date: 16-May-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3653666.3656098
Lee CWarner JGarvin MMcCann CZarch RBrown BGoldwasser TPearson TStrickland CIsrael M(2024)Gender and Racial Disparities in College Admissions and Computing Programs: The Future of Black Women in the Face of Widespread Anti-DEI LegislationProceedings of the 2024 on RESPECT Annual Conference10.1145/3653666.3656087(65-74)Online publication date: 16-May-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3653666.3656087
Barr VBrodley CPérez-Quiñones M(2024)Visualizing Progress in Broadening Participation in Computing: The Value of ContextCommunications of the ACM10.1145/363547167:7(46-55)Online publication date: 1-Jul-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3635471
Jiang SMcClure JTatar CBickel FRosé CChao J(2024)Towards inclusivity in AI: A comparative study of cognitive engagement between marginalized female students and peersBritish Journal of Educational Technology10.1111/bjet.1346755:6(2557-2573)Online publication date: 23-Apr-2024
https://doi.org/10.1111/bjet.13467
Belle ASutherland CAdesina OKpodjedo SOjong NCole L(2023)Bolstering the Persistence of Black Students in Undergraduate Computer Science Programs: A Systematic Mapping StudyACM Transactions on Computing Education10.1145/361789623:4(1-42)Online publication date: 8-Nov-2023
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3617896
Breeden KBang LStone CMedero JLaakso MMonga MSimon Sheard J(2023)Student Experiences and Academic Outcomes When Multiple Introductory Tracks ConvergeProceedings of the 2023 Conference on Innovation and Technology in Computer Science Education V. 110.1145/3587102.3588841(89-95)Online publication date: 29-Jun-2023
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3587102.3588841
Smith JMcGill MDecker A(2023)An Examination of Empirical Evidence Produced by a Decade of K-12 Computer Science Education Research2023 IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE)10.1109/FIE58773.2023.10342948(1-9)Online publication date: 18-Oct-2023
https://doi.org/10.1109/FIE58773.2023.10342948
Warner JFletcher CMartin NBaker S(2022)Applying the CAPE framework to measure equity and inform policy in computer science educationPolicy Futures in Education10.1177/14782103221074467Online publication date: 23-Feb-2022
https://doi.org/10.1177/14782103221074467
Xie BOleson AEverson JKo A(2022)Surfacing Equity Issues in Large Computing Courses with Peer-Ranked, Demographically-Labeled Student FeedbackProceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction10.1145/35129126:CSCW1(1-39)Online publication date: 7-Apr-2022
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3512912
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