Computational Barbering Education: Introducing Barbering Instructors to a Visual Programming Application to Support Black Boys’ Participation in Computer Science

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Abstract

This paper offers initial findings about high school barbering instructors’ engagement with the culturally responsive computing education project, Barbershop Computing. To challenge the underrepresentation of Black boys in high school computer science, Barbershop Computing leverages the techno-cultural expertise and practices of Black barbers to reimagine computer science itself. It includes educational materials for teaching about the techno-cultural background of Black barbering, and a visual programming environment where children can code unique barbershop designs. Our findings suggest that the project might support barbering instructors’ interest and comfort with computing. We also found that it links up with the learning processes of trial-and-error in barbering pedagogy. Both findings make Barbershop Computing a viable way to introduce computer science into barbering education.

Authors

• Michael L. Lachney, Michigan State University

• Theodore Ransaw, Michigan State University