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Cited by 191Career Development and DiversityGender and Technology in EducationTeaching and Learning Programming

Sense of Belonging in Computing: The Role of Introductory Courses for Women and Underrepresented Minority Students

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Sax, Linda J., Blaney, Jennifer M., Lehman, Kathleen J., Rodriguez, Sarah L., George, Kari L., Zavala, Christina·2018·Social Sciences
DOI 10.3390/socsci7080122
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Abstract

This study examines an aspect of gender and racial/ethnic gaps in undergraduate computing by focusing on sense of belonging among women and underrepresented minority (URM) introductory computing students. We examine change in sense of belonging during the introductory course as well as the predictors of belonging, with attention to conditional effects by gender and URM status. Results show that sense of belonging outcomes are a product of both incoming student characteristics and college environments and experiences, highlighting the important role the computing faculty play in fostering belonging. These and other findings are discussed, focusing on sense of belonging among women, URM students, and URM women.

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  • Cohort-based interventions have been effective in helping low-income and underrepresented students buffer against feelings of low sense of belonging, isolation, and alienation in competitive STEM majors.

    “These types of cohort-based interventions have been effective in helping low-income and underrepresented students buffer against feelings of low sense of belonging, isolation, and alienation in competitive STEM majors (Sax et al., 2018).”

    From The Importance of STEM Sense of Belonging and Academic Hope in Enhancing Persistence for Low-Income, Underrepresented STEM Students (2024) · cites this paper as Sax et al., 2018

    Section 3.3.2 (Results; page unavailable) finds that peer and departmental support positively predict belonging among computing students. Section 4.2 (Implications for Practice; page unavailable) suggests living-learning communities, but does not show that cohort-based interventions were effective. The copy also does not establish an effect for low-income students or across competitive STEM majors. (LLM, conf=0.85)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Creating supportive environments at the departmental and peer group level may help facilitate students' sense that they belong in computing and improve underrepresented student success in IT and computing professions.

    “Sax et al. contend that creating supportive environments, at the departmental and peer group level, may help in facilitating students' sense that they belong in the field of computing, improving underrepresented student success in IT and computing professions.”

    From The Importance of STEM Sense of Belonging and Academic Hope in Enhancing Persistence for Low-Income, Underrepresented STEM Students (2024) · cites this paper as Sax et al., 2018

    The Conclusions (section 5) say that supportive departmental and peer-group environments foster students’ sense of belonging in computing. They also say that whether belonging affects decisions to pursue computing majors or careers remains a question for future research, so the claimed improvement in underrepresented students’ professional success is not established by this study. (LLM, conf=0.88)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Sax et al. (2018) contend that dialog and action around improving student success in IT and computing professions have to move beyond the numbers and focus on improving the overall climate of inclusion.

    “Sax et al. (2018) contend that dialog and action around improving student success in IT and computing professions have to move beyond the numbers (e.g., of students or employees) and focus on improving the overall climate of inclusion.”

    From The Importance of STEM Sense of Belonging and Academic Hope in Enhancing Persistence for Low-Income, Underrepresented STEM Students (2024) · cites this paper as Sax et al. (2018)

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Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Sax, L. J., Blaney, J. M., Lehman, K. J., Rodriguez, S. L., George, K. L., & Zavala, C.
Affiliations
  • University of California, Los Angeles (US)
  • Iowa State University (US)
Corresponding author
Blaney, Jennifer M.
ORCID
Venue
Social Sciences
Publisher
MDPI AG
Published
2018-07-25
Volume
7
Issue
8
Pages
122
ISSN
2076-0760 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.3390/socsci7080122
OpenAlex
W2882978239
Cited by
191
References
5
Citations by year
2026: 19 · 2025: 24 · 2024: 49 · 2023: 34 · 2022: 29 · 2021: 22 · 2020: 10 · 2019: 3 · 2015: 1
FWCI
16.31
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Social Sciences (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Iowa State University Digital Repository (Iowa State University) (submittedVersion)
  • Iowa State University Digital Repository (Iowa State University) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Funders
  • National Science Foundation (1525737)
  • AnitaB.org (N/A)
  • Computing Research Association (N/A)
  • Google (N/A)
  • Facebook (N/A)
  • Microsoft (N/A)
  • Intel (N/A)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Safety Research › Career Development and Diversity
  • Social Sciences › Gender Studies › Gender and Technology in Education
  • Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Computer Science Applications › Teaching and Learning Programming
Keywords
sense of belonging, introductory computer science, women in computing, underrepresented minority students, gender gap, undergraduate computer science education, conditional effects

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