Investigating Classroom Community Among Undergraduate Computer Science Students

• In Event: Supporting Learners in Computing Education

Abstract

Sense of belonging is an important part of academic success, associated with better grades and persistence among underrepresented minorities. We use the short form of the Classroom Community Scale to investigate community among undergraduate students in computer science, a field that has low gender and racial diversity. We found that many participants reported feeling disconnected from their peers and that gender and race impacted experiences of connection and learning. Female participants reported lower learning support scores than male participants, and this effect was worse for female participants who are Black, Indigenous, or People of Colour. Despite this, free response data suggests that students in computer science are still searching for community and care about each other.

Authors

• Emma McDonald, University of Alberta
  Presenting Author

• Carrie Demmans Epp, University of Alberta
  Non-Presenting Author