Identity Inclusive Computing

CSTA is a partner in the Alliance for Identity-Inclusive Computing Education (AiiCE), led by Dr. Nicki Washington and Dr. Shani Daily at Duke University.

Vision

AiiCE aims to increase the entry, retention, and course/degree completion rates of high-school and undergraduate students from groups that are historically underrepresented in computing through evidence-based, identity-inclusive interventions. AiiCE’s collective impact approach to broadening participation convenes national leaders in K-16 CS education to transform high-school and postsecondary CS education using innovative strategies that target the people (secondary/ postsecondary educators, teaching assistants, and students), policies [state (K-12) and institutional (postsecondary) policies, as well as postsecondary accreditation criteria], and practices (classroom/department cultures) that directly impact student entry, retention, and course/degree completion.

Objectives

AiiCE is founded upon evidence that student-focused (and often deficit-based) strategies do not adequately address institutional cultures, policies, and practices that have marginalized people from non-dominant identities. AIICE will collectively create systemic change by blending aspects of social science with CS to:
  1. Increase CS student and educator knowledge and use of identity and related topics.
  2. Support CS educators and leaders in fostering academic cultures that are more inclusive of non-dominant identities.
  3. Increase K-16 policy-driven changes to CS education that infuse identity-inclusive strategies.

Partners

Alliance partners include: Duke University; Mount Holyoke College; the University of Oregon; Kapor Center; Computer Science Teachers Association; Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, and Technology (DO-IT) Center (and the AccessComputing Alliance); Computing Sciences Accreditation Board (CSAB); Constellations Center for Equity in Computing; Northeastern University Center for Inclusive Computing (CIC); and Reboot Representation.

CSTA Activities

All Alliance activities are currently organized under four interrelated domains (constellations): (1) Training, (2) Curricula & Pedagogy, (3) Research, and (4) Policy.
 
CSTA will lead the following activities:

  • Develop Chapter Inquiry Groups: These facilitator-led sessions will help teachers better understand  identity-inclusive topics (e.g., systemic oppression and how they manifest at the personal, cultural, and organizational levels, as well as biased technologies) in a more intimate environment than traditional PD, allowing them to engage with local chapter members they already know. 

  • Develop Identity Inclusion PD Course: We will create a virtual, self-paced “Identity Inclusion for K-12 CS Educators” course to provide a baseline understanding of identity-inclusive topics (e.g., identity, bias, discrimination, and oppression). This allows participants with limited to no understanding of identity-inclusive topics to learn foundational topics without impacting the pace and learning experience of the overall inquiry group. 

  • Develop CSTA Monthly Identity-Inclusive Webinars: Hold monthly webinars for all members on IIC knowledge and skill development. These short, differentiated webinars will be incorporated into an existing monthly professional learning series on equity, pedagogy, and content. 

  • Develop Community and Summit for CS PD Providers: CSTA will establish a community of practice (CoP) for K-12 CS PD providers to identify best practices, share resources, and integrate IIC into each. This CoP will include virtual, quarterly synchronous sessions, with additional online discussion threads and resource sharing. Community members will convene for an annual summit (co-located with the annual CSTA conference) that includes workshops/discussions on integrating IIC.

  • Update/Distribute Biennial Survey of K-12 CS Teachers: CSTA and the Kapor Center will update/distribute a biennial, national survey of K-12 CS teachers to understand teacher cultural competence and knowledge and use of identity-inclusive strategies. Between May and July 2020, a total of 3,693 teachers participated from all 50 states, and we released the report and interactive dashboard this spring.

  • Develop Teacher-Led Policy Committee and Advocacy Toolkit: CSTA will establish a teacher-led policy committee to 1) vet, develop, and/or adopt a set of endorsed policy recommendations; and 2) develop a toolkit to support CSTA chapter leaders and members on effectively advocating for these policy recommendations at the state level. Recommendations and resources will be presented annually at the CSTA Chapter Leadership Summit.

Professional Learning Resources

Find and register for upcoming events using CSTA's Events calendar. You can view recordings and resources from our recent IIC-focused Professional Learning Series sessions in the table below.
 

NSF LogoThis work is supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 2118453. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.