Computing education pathways from high school to community college: key strategies for aligning institutional systems

ABSTRACT

Background and context

High school students’ interest in computing fields is not always sustained in community college due to a disconnect between institutions.

Objective

To understand how cross-sector collaborations can align institutional pathways in computing. Research questions: What cross-sector practices can be used to build a computing education pathway? What practices can be used to promote student agency? How does a cross-sector partnership address issues of equity in the computing education pathway?

Method

A case study of a cross-sector research-practice partnership using interviews, observations, and meeting documentation.

Findings

Key strategies for aligning institutional systems to increase persistence in computing classes include building cross-sector connections and structures that support student agency, and addressing the structural factors that perpetuate inequity

Implications

The findings can inform efforts to build college and career pathways across the transition from high school to community college.

KEYWORDS:

• Education pathways
• high school
• community college
• underrepresentation
• latinx students

Acknowledgments

This study was supported by Grant # 1837655 from the National Science Foundation. The authors are grateful to our high school and community college partners including Gerlinde Brady, Julie Edwards, Sarah Blanchette, and Heidi Holland.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

The work was supported by the National Science Foundation