Latinx Students in Computer Science: Redefining Rather Than Fitting In

• In Event: Decolonizing Academic Spaces: Engaging Intersectionality, Social Identities, Racial Consciousness, and Action Toward an Anticolonial Education

Abstract

Purpose & Literature Review
Research in computer science pays minimal consideration to the relationship between cultural background and students’ approaches to learning computer science. Although computer science education research studies reference sociocultural theory, they often solely focus on structure collaboration as the source for social interactions neglecting important aspects of sociocultural theory. For example, seldom do current approaches in computer science education address the historical context and power dynamics that impact student access to learning computer science or self-efficacy and stereotype threat that impact performance in computer science (e.g. Crook, 1998). Sociocultural research provides evidence that individuals participation in learning occurs within a cultural context. Cultural practices and values are guidelines that inform developmental goals and expectation (Rogoff, 2003).

Wotjom computer science studies suggest there is a need to consider culture, the power dynamics, and history influence the current need for equity in computer science and tech. Why is it that Black and Latina/o students in the Los Angeles area assume they do not have the skills necessary to pursue a computer science degree and are often guided away from computer science courses (Margolis, Goode, Chapman, and Ryoo, 2014). Until recently, pair programming often used structured forms of collaboration prevalent among European-heritage communities neglecting more fluid approaches present in Mexican-heritage students (Ellis & Gauvin, 1992; Rogoff, 2003).

Method/Data
In the present study, we recruited 22 Latinx (5 Female, 17 Male) university students pursuing a degree in computer science and engineering to complete a 30-minute survey. The survey included questions regarding experiences that helped Latinx students continue in their field and experiences that pushed them out.

A mixed method analysis was used to analyze shared experiences among the Latinx university students and individual variance in their experiences in their major. The qualitative analysis focuses on the cultural strengths that Latina/o university students draw on to succeed in computer science and the experiences that push them out of computer science. Preliminary findings suggest that Latinx student’s hurdles include difficulty with gatekeeper courses, discouraging comments from faculty and advisors, and barriers to perceived ethnicity and gender.

Examples of Latinx students’ strategies in pursuing computer science include creating a community of support and strategically choosing courses—such as taking the lower level gatekeeping courses at community colleges. Latinx students also reporte various strategies for navigating discrimination in their field (e.g. some students reported that they felt they had to use an Americanized version of their names to increase the likelihood of a job offer).

Results & Scholarly Significance
The preliminary findings indicate that a need for work that takes a sociocultural approach to understanding pursuit of computer science careers. Although several approaches are being used to improve the educational attainment of underrepresented communities (e.g. computational thinking), few of these approaches acknowledge the cultural strengths and often use a one size fits all approach (e.g. computational thinking and structured collaborating in pair programming). This suggests a need to redefine computer science education, rather than trying to fit Latinx students into existing approaches to teaching computer science.

Authors

• Omar Ruvalcaba, California State University - Northridge

• Luis G. Reyes, California State University - Northridge