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

该项目根据学生的经济需要和对主修计算机科学或辅修计算机科学并主修其他科学领域的兴趣颁发奖学金。这些学者在计算机科学领域的职业选择方面接受教师的特别指导。他们成为IT专业学生社区的一员：1)参加计算机科学课程的同伴辅导计划；2)向其他学生展示他们从体验式学习活动中学到的东西，通过与教师一起在工业或计算机研究领域实习的形式；3)通过参加由在工业和非营利组织工作的校友以及其他行业代表组成的职业小组，调查可能的IT职业；4)参加计算机科学会议，如ACM的理查德·塔皮亚计算多样性庆典或格蕾丝·霍珀计算女性庆典；5)通过参加K-12扩展计划，本科生开发适合中学生或高中生的示范“路演”，努力表明计算机科学可以是有趣的，IT职业可以是有趣的，并有益于社会。智力价值：学者们作为本科经历的一部分所从事的活动已经被先前的研究所建议，这些研究调查了女性和未被充分代表的群体在计算机科学中的参与度，以及学生对计算机科学作为一个研究领域缺乏兴趣的研究。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、同伴支持小组和电子指导向学生说明，计算机科学是他们可以追求的职业，或者他们可以在他们选择的其他科学努力中有效地使用计算机。更广泛的影响：鼓励女性和代表性不足群体的学生加入奖学金计划，并参加由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。一个额外的长期好处是，参加由学者领导的拓展活动的K-12学生对计算机的态度发生了变化，并将其视为一个有趣的领域，可以在大学里考虑。

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.