How Community and Family Engagement Can Help Dismantle Inequalities in Computer Science Education

• In Event: Thursday Roundtable Session 10:50 am
  In Roundtable Session: Digital Equity and Family, School, Community Partnerships (Table 14)

Abstract

This research examines how parents and community members can increase demand at the local level to ensure high-quality computer science (CS) is equitably distributed in under-resourced schools. Unfortunately, high-quality CS opportunities are abundant in schools that serve upper-income students, while schools serving low-income, predominantly students of color, offer more rudimentary keyboarding skills (Margolis et al., 2008, 2017). The inclusion of families and community groups in CS education efforts, especially Black, Latinx, Native American, rural, and low-income students, can provide the much-needed pressure to ensure meaningful on-the-ground monitoring of the implementation of policies; hold the education system accountable for providing the necessary resources and support; and ensure high-quality CS education is sustainable in the long term.

Authors

• Paula Nazario, University of California - Los Angeles

• Jean J. Ryoo, University of California - Los Angeles

• Julie Flapan, University of California - Los Angeles

• Roxana Hadad, Processing Foundation

• Rocio Mendoza, University of Redlands

• Adriana Ruiz Alvarado, University of Redlands

• Nicol R. Howard, Chapman University

• Nicole Broadnax, University of Redlands