Reflecting on the 2023 NCWIT Summit

What are some of the ways biases impede our efforts to build inclusive cultures? How can we not only intervene in these biases but also proactively create cultures where students, employees, and others feel they belong and make meaningful contributions? This summit strand explored some of the latest research connecting bias, belongingness, and inclusion. Attendees practiced concrete strategies for interrupting bias in real-life situations. They also learned from others’ experiences with these issues and developed a plan of action for addressing bias and creating cultures of belonging in their own organizations and in everyday life. ▶ Watch the video.

Equity in computing education is a noble goal, but achieving it can be challenging, especially when efforts, to date, are more focused on individualistic rather than systemic solutions. At the same time, it is often overwhelming for individuals to know how to help change systems.  This strand uncovered ways that individuals can help tackle important but often overlooked levers for systemic change.  Attendees examined the current CS environment in K-12, drilled down to specific levers for change, and learned how each individual can play an active role in tackling this complex problem. Attendees also learned about frameworks that can be used for assessing equity.

What does it mean to have inclusive leaders at every level? Why is it important for organizational cultural change? How can we best enable and empower both formal and informal leaders to build more inclusive cultures? This summit strand focused on how organizational change is accelerated when inclusive leaders are recognized and empowered at all levels, independent of their hierarchical position in the org-chart. Attendees learned what it takes to be an inclusive leader, how to help others become inclusive leaders, and how these skills can enable organizations to tackle difficult conversations and foster real organizational change. Practical examples and resources from both Dr. Allen’s work and the NCWIT Tech Inclusion Journey framework helped attendees take action and apply this information back in their own organizations.  

Power and influence are profoundly important to the project of building a diverse, equitable, and inclusive tech ecosystem, and yet we rarely talk about — and never attempt to measure — these critical factors. This strand addressed this gap by unpacking findings from NCWIT’s cutting-edge research about how power and status operate on technical teams, who has access to it, and how we might distribute it more intentionally. Participants were introduced to PowerTilt – a new tool to help teams understand their own dynamics and build more inclusive cultures of power and influence. ▶ Watch the video.

Recruitment and retention strategies might feel intuitive for the tech industry, but establishing similar practices across the K-12 and post-secondary ecosystems can be more challenging. Developing concrete strategies to broaden participation of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) students in K-12 and higher education is a critical component in building and expanding inclusivity in CS education. What are the current best practices for ensuring that historically marginalized students have access, exposure, and remain in CS? How might recruitment and retention efforts look different in the PK-5 space? Across minority-serving institutions? Attendees learned about important ways to actively engage a broad range of students, and to ensure all students have the skills needed to thrive.

Inflammatory rhetoric over social issues related to gender fluidity, critical race theory, and systemic racism/sexism increasingly permeate public discourse and debate. While this climate may, at first glance, seem to be broader and beyond the realm of tech, it deeply affects our efforts to promote equity in technical contexts as well. At the same time, technology communities are perhaps uniquely situated to tackle these concerns head on. This strand explored how the “Manosphere” and other coordinated efforts are working to shore up the gender binary in ways that also undermine broader efforts to address systemic sexism, racism and other inequities. Attendees learned how technology and technical communities are both being used to accelerate inflammatory discourse but also uniquely situated to intervene in the spread of such discourse. Attendees left with an enhanced understanding of how these issues affect technical communities and practical strategies for intervening in ways that foster positive change. ▶ Watch the video.

Want to do a better job of recruiting and retaining diverse students in undergraduate computing? Want to make CS curriculum more engaging and effective for all students? This strand explored the latest research on inclusive pedagogies in CS education, with a particular focus on innovative uses of educational technology. Attendees learned from several real-life case studies, success stories, and interactive demonstrations. Attendees also shared and learned from each other’s experiences with similar issues and walked away with an action plan for putting inclusive pedagogies into action at their home institutions. ▶ Watch the video.