Into the Community: Changing Perceptions and Increasing Participation in Computer Science

该项目根据学生的经济需要提供奖学金，并表现出对攻读计算机科学专业或计算机科学辅修专业以及其他科学领域专业的兴趣。学者们在计算机科学的职业选择方面接受教师的特别指导。他们成为IT专业学生社区的一部分：1）成为计算机科学课程的同伴辅导计划的一部分; 2）通过向其他学生展示他们从体验式学习活动中学到的东西，以工业实习或与教师进行计算机研究的形式，3）通过参加职业小组调查可能的IT职业，该小组的成员包括在行业和非营利组织工作的校友以及其他行业代表; 4）参加计算机科学会议，如ACM的Richard Tapia计算机多样性庆典或Grace Hopper计算机女性庆典;和5）通过参加K-12外展计划，本科生开发适合中高年级学生的演示“路演”，学校年龄的学生在努力表明，计算机科学可以很有趣，在IT的职业生涯可以是有趣的，有利于社会。智力优点：学者们作为其本科生经历的一部分所开展的活动已被以前的研究所建议，这些研究审查了妇女和代表性不足的群体在计算机科学中的参与程度，并研究了学生对计算机科学作为一个研究领域缺乏兴趣。体验式学习活动增加并维持他们对计算机科学的兴趣。教师指导，同行支持小组和电子辅导向学生说明，计算机科学是一个专业，他们可以追求或他们可以有效地使用计算机在他们选择的其他科学努力。更广泛的影响：鼓励代表性不足群体的妇女和学生加入奖学金方案，参加数学和计算机科学系提供的活动。项目活动使这些学生感到受欢迎，并有信心他们可以从事涉及信息技术的职业。另一个长期的好处是，参加由学者领导的推广活动的K-12学生对计算的态度发生了变化，并将其视为大学中一个有趣和有趣的领域。

This project awards scholarships based on student financial need and demonstrated interest in pursuing a major in computer science or a minor in computer science together with a major in another science field. The scholars receive special mentoring by faculty about choices of careers in computer science. They become part of a community of students in the sciences specializing in IT: 1) by being part of a peer tutoring program for computer science courses; 2) by presenting to other students what they learned from an experiential learning activity, in the form of an internship in industry or computing research with faculty, 3) by investigating possible IT careers through attendance at career panels featuring alumni working in industry and non-profits and additional industry representatives; 4) by attending computer science conferences such as the ACM's Richard Tapia Celebration of Diversity in Computing or the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in computing; and 5) by participating in a K-12 outreach program where undergraduates develop "road shows" of demonstrations appropriate for middle or high-school age students in an effort to show that computer science can be fun, and a career in IT can be interesting and benefit society. Intellectual merit: The activities that the scholars undertake as part of their undergraduate experience have been suggested by previous studies that examined the small participation of women and underrepresented groups in computer science and by studies of the lack of student interest in computer science as a field of study. Experiential learning activities increase and sustain their interest in computer science. The faculty mentoring, peer support groups, and electronic mentoring illustrate to students that computer science is a profession they can pursue or that they can effectively use computers in other scientific endeavors of their choosing. Broader Impacts: Women and students of underrepresented groups are encouraged to join the scholarship program and participate in the activities provided by the Mathematics and Computer Science Department. The project activities make these students feel welcome and confident that they can pursue a career that involves information technology. An added long-term benefit is that the K-12 students who participate in the outreach activities led by the scholars have a change in attitude about computing and see it as a fun and interesting field to consider in college.