Black “Tech” Girl Magic: How a Virtual Computer Science Summer Camp Created Community and Intersectional Representation for Black Girls

• In Event: A Methodological Renaissance: Expanding Intersectional Approaches for Black Girls in Education

Abstract

Purpose
Black girls do not receive Computer Science (CS) exposure as early as their white counterparts (Google & Gallup, 2016). Black girls are also less likely to be aware of learning opportunities for CS and are less likely to be told by parents and teachers that they would be good at CS compared to their male peers (Google & Gallup, 2016). Informal learning programs are beneficial for exposing Black girls to computer science (Erete et al., 2016; Pinkard et al, 2017; Robinson & Pérez-Quiñones, 2014). While the impacts of the digital divide were exasperated during COVID-19 for Black students (McKinsey & Company, 2020), some informal learning programs were able to make an impact using a virtual summer camp model.
Little research examines the impact of virtual summer camps and how they impact Black middle school girls’ intent to persist in CS. Additionally, there is a paucity of intersectional research (i.e, research on those with multiple minoritized identities) in the larger area of CS education that explicates identities in data collection. This study used Intersectional Computing (Thomas et al., 2018) to examine the impact of four virtual CS summer camps on Black middle school girls' intent to persist in CS.

Theoretical Framework
This study draws on Intersectional Computing (Thomas et al., 2018) to explore the experiences of Black middle school girls at a virtual CS summer camp. This study specifically looks at the social context and social justice core constructs of Intersectionality (Collins & Blige, 2020), as well as, testimonial authority. Applying Intersectional Computing to understand Black girls' CS experiences calls for a deep look into the social context of these girls to understand how systems of power have impacted their ability to access CS courses.

Methods and Data Sources
The study focused on participants from the non-profit INTech Foundartion, whose mission is to inspire girls and gender expansive youth to create innovative solutions for social good. INTech engages Black and Latina girls ages 10-17 across the US in out-of-school time experiences through summer camps and after-school programs. In 2020-2021, INTech hosted four virtual CS summer camps for Black middle school girls across the US and Canada (Author 4 et al., 2020). Key to the approach of the camps is the recognition that intersectional representation in the camp's community of attendees, teachers, and guest speakers and the content fosters confidence for Black girls in computing. Semi-structured interviews (n=10) were conducted to understand the lived experiences of the camp attendees while at camp and in school.

Findings and Discussion
Semi-structured interviews (n=10) revealed how Black girls' intersectional identities influence their attitudes towards learning CS, both in-person at school and virtually at camp. The theme “Being a Black giril in tech” emerged from the data with the sub-themes “Breaking the Stigma”, Black “Tech” Girl Magic, and Intent to Persist/Self-efficay. Implications will help expand or improve virtual informal CS experiences for Black girls to reduce the barriers that may prevent them from learning CS at an early age.

Author

• Khalia Braswell, Temple University