Originally published by CSforALL on Medium.
Unlocking Innovation by Empowering Diverse K-12 and Higher Education Pathways
A diverse and inclusive tech workforce is the key to unlocking the full potential of technological innovation. Yet, the field has historically been dominated by a narrow demographic, hindering progress and limiting the scope of solutions.
To combat systemic underrepresentation in computing, the National Science Foundation (NSF) Broadening Participation in Computing Alliances, including NCWIT and CSforALL, are tackling this challenge. Backed by significant NSF funding, these organizations set goals and develop initiatives not only to increase the number of students from underrepresented groups in computer science (CS), but also to build a more inclusive and equitable CS education landscape.
CSforALL: Catalyzing Members to Commit to Broadening Participation in Computing
Established in 2016, CSforALL recognizes that systemic change is essential to improve computer science education. By focusing on institutions such as schools and school districts, curriculum providers, out of school time providers, and funders, a more supportive environment for teachers to deliver culturally-relevant and accessible learning experiences to students is possible. By aligning curriculum with research-based best practices, CSforALL connects members to ensure learners have the opportunity to succeed beyond the K-12 classroom. In 2022, the National Science Foundation (NSF) awarded the CSforALL Alliance a grant to advance equity in computer science education by promoting inclusive practices, enhancing member capacity, and utilizing data-driven strategies to assess impact. Historically, CSforALL catalyzes the community through time-bound, specific, and measurable pledges known as CSforALL Commitments. In 2024, the alliance activated the CS education community to make commitments aligned specifically to broadening participation in computing (BPC).
On August 23, 2024, the CSforALL Alliance kicked off Commitments by hosting a webinar featuring authors and contributors of key research-based frameworks to spark the community’s interest in leveraging culturally relevant practices as well as considering the capacity, access, participation, and experiences of learners when developing goals (the CAPE framework).
The CSforALL Alliance leverages three goals to inspire the membership to commit to broadening participation in computing:
Goal 1, Raising Awareness: CSforALL promotes awareness of underrepresentation issues and facilitates collaboration among members working towards equitable solutions.
Figure 1: CAPE/Expanded Overview of 2024 Commitments
In 2024, Commitment makers were challenged to go beyond access and set goals that promote equity and inclusion in CS education informed by the CAPE and Expanded CAPE frameworks. Figure 1 emphasized members’ awareness on issues of capacity and access to curriculum offerings, rich experience in CS content knowledge, as well as student engagement as key indicators of measurement to work towards equitable student level outcomes.
Goal 2, Build Member Capacity: The alliance equips our members to create engaging and rigorous CS learning experiences that inspire students to explore advanced topics.
Figure 2: 2024 Commitment by Culturally Responsive-Sustaining CS Elements
The CSforALL Alliance encouraged members to adopt a culturally responsive approach to computer science education by leveraging the Kapor Center’s framework to inform their commitments. The most widely selected component focused on creating inclusive and equitable classroom cultures as highlighted in Figure 2. This involves centering student identities, engaging in self-reflective practices, and actively recruiting underrepresented students, such as students with disabilities, Black, Latine, Native American, non-binary, and female students.
Goal 3, Use Data and Landscape Opportunities: CSforALL leverages data to identify opportunities for increasing equitable access to CS education. By holding members accountable for advancing BPC goals, the alliance is able to landscape student level outcomes. In 2025, CSforALL will continue building a BPC community by activating members to participate in curating, contributing to, and prioritizing incorporating members’ voices. CSforALL will achieve this level of engagement by creating dedicated spaces for collaboration such as online forums for discussion boards, hosting virtual working groups by regional and BPC focal population, and providing a mentoring program by pairing expert members with members interested in learning BPC best practices to offer guidance and support.
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NCWIT: Empowering Post-Secondary Computing Departments to Make Change
For two decades, NCWIT has been supporting its members through programs and research-based ways to enact change. Our mission is to widen inclusion in the technology ecosystem through innovative programs and research. To do this, NCWIT has over 1,600 organizational members from K-12 to industry, whom we support to work in their own part of the ecosystem to diversify the face of computing. Ninety-nine percent of members report that their affiliation with NCWIT increased their motivation to make change. Their motivation translates into action: Evaluation data show that the 600+ NCWIT Higher Ed members awarded a higher percentage of computing degrees to women than did non-members in 2020. Those Higher Ed members who have participated in a Learning Circle of peers have made even more notable progress toward creating more diverse and inclusive computing environments for faculty and students.
Feedback from NCWIT Higher Ed Alliance Learning Circles Participants
Join an NCWIT Learning Circle: Participants meet virtually in small groups throughout the academic year with NCWIT social scientists and invited speakers. They learn tools for working with their local team to develop and implement strategies for broadening participation in their undergraduate computing program.
Use the NCWIT Tech Inclusion Journey®: NCWIT member institutions have access to a change-enabling platform to support them in collaborative internal discussions and decision making that result in lasting systemic change. Ninety-one percent of users reported that their “ability to help create a more inclusive work environment improved” as a result of working through the TIJ together.
Feedback from an NCWIT Higher Ed Alliance Tech Inclusion Journey User
Participate in Meeting of the Minds: Leaders in BPC efforts and members of the public are invited to come together to learn from each other about how to attract and retain students and faculty from backgrounds historically excluded in computing.
The next Meeting of the Minds are February 5: “Best Practices for Broadening Participation with AccessComputing” and April 10: “Coding the Quantum Future: How Quantum Technology Will Revolutionize Computer Science and Workforce Development.”
More opportunities to be trained on powerful ways to make change at the post-secondary level are coming up in 2025, including four tracks of webinars for: (1) computing researchers, (2) department chairs and deans, (3) teaching faculty, and (4) teaching assistants.
Stay informed by subscribing to the monthly NCWIT Did You Know newsletter and checking the NCWIT Media Hub for events, resources, and inspiration: ncwit.org/media.
BPC Alliances Accelerating K-12 to Career Pathways
While the CSforAll and NCWIT Alliances focus on K-12 and higher education to expand the ecosystem of organizations dedicated to equitable computer science education, and nurturing diverse talent from a young age, a network of six other BPC Alliances also challenge the systemic underrepresentation of marginalized groups in computing. All eight Alliances collaborate through the BPC Alliance Accelerator, sharing information, resources, knowledge, and fostering a stronger connection between NSF-funded Alliances. The increased collaboration creates greater efficiency and improved resource sharing to accelerate our shared goals in a more impactful collective effort to broaden participation in computing K-12 through career.
Learn more about CSforALL here and NCWIT here.
This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grants № 2216561, 2417148, 2216614, 2417779. 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.
