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Retaining Women in CS Majors Using Research-Based Initiatives

Retaining Women in CS Majors Using Research-Based Initiatives. J. McGrath Cohoon National Center for Women & IT & University of Virginia. Maureen S. Biggers College of Computing Georgia Institute of Technology. Retention Is Increasingly Important.

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Retaining Women in CS Majors Using Research-Based Initiatives

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  1. Retaining Women in CS Majors Using Research-Based Initiatives J. McGrath Cohoon National Center for Women & IT & University of Virginia Maureen S. Biggers College of Computing Georgia Institute of Technology

  2. Retention Is Increasingly Important

  3. Mean Annual Undergraduate Attrition 1995 - 2000 Women are especially at risk

  4. Who is Likely to Persist? Some of your students will leave no matter what you do Some of your students will stay no matter what you do Some of your students will allow you to influence their decisions to stay or leave

  5. Overview Five sets of retention recommendations • Based on research • Institutional retention • Retention in computing majors Assess your department’s retention practices A few words of advice about change

  6. Retention on One Hand Routinely facilitate academic success Promote community Maintain interest through curriculum Support students Monitor outcomes

  7. Facilitate Academic success Routinely

  8. Provide Feedback and Context Test early and often Put Performance in Context A llllllllll B llllllllllllllllllllll C lllllllllllllll D lll F ll A=75 – 100 B = 60 – 74

  9. Emphasize Homework Skill building through Practice Practice Practice

  10. Research Experiences for Undergrads REU

  11. Encourage Participation Find some truth in whatever students say Inhibit show-offs Promote asking questions

  12. Train Teaching Assistants Critical to student experience • Feedback & context • Practice builds skill • Participation • Encourage persistence

  13. Encourage Student Persistence

  14. Promote community

  15. Use Collaborative Learning Peer led team learning Pair programming www.umkc.edu/cad/si

  16. Collaborative Learning Benefits Retention and Community & academic achievement • Greater sense of academic community • Quality interaction with profs and peers • Higher test scores • Higher levels of student involvement • Higher levels of enthusiasm • Pursuit of topics to more advanced levels

  17. Promote Peer Support Avoid isolating women and minorities Facilitate student interaction • Study groups • ACM • Women’s groups • Peer mentoring

  18. Create A Comfortable Climate Use inclusive language Spotlight women for their accomplishments, not their gender

  19. Maintain interest through curriculum

  20. Highlight Curricular Flexibility CS and …

  21. Highlight Relevance Programming is a tool Survey course Use meaningful examples Describe how skills can be applied • Especially in ways that help people Computer science is “creating the applications, processes, and tools that allow computers to solve real world problems”not being a “code monkey”

  22. Support students

  23. Mentor for Diversity Reach out to women

  24. Intervene and be Intrusive The first 3 - 6 weeks on your campus can make or break for program completion therefore . . . FRONTLOAD

  25. Use Intrusive Academic Advising Early Warning System Call those who miss 2-3 consecutive classes Below “C” on first test Failure to register

  26. Intentional Role Modeling • Describe your personal history • highlight shared elements • Explain how they could achieve what you achieved

  27. Monitor outcomes

  28. Collect Data to Track Results Measure goal attainment Report results Revise Continue/ Discontinue

  29. Classroom Assessment Techniques (CAT’s) Minute Paper • What is the most important thing you’ve learned in class today? • What is the main, unanswered question you have?

  30. More CATs Punctuation Lectures Stop and reflect on what students were doing Productive Study Time Logs Record time spent studying for class • When • How productively http://www.ntlf.com/html/lib/bib/assess.htm

  31. NCWIT SEM Survey Student Experience of the Major

  32. Assess Retention Outcomes Track enrollment Track course outcomes Report results

  33. Gender Diversity in Computing Change is a process

  34. Create Conditions for Change

  35. Retention on One Hand Routinely facilitate academic success Promote community Maintain interest through curriculum Support students Monitor outcomes Overall Advice Start right Classroom experience is critical

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