Team Mensa: A case study of supporting middle school girls' interest in computer science through an informal learning program

Abstract

This qualitative case study describes how participation in an outside-of-school program sustained middle school girls’ interest in computer science and positively influenced their computational perspectives. Data consists of interviews, observations, and videos analyzed from ten girls participating in a nine-month program during 2017–2018. Connected learning and computational participation are the study’s theoretical frameworks and were incorporated into its research questions, data collection methods, and analysis strategies. Findings illustrate 1) girls’ sustained interest in and positive attitudes toward computer science; 2) girls’ evolving confidence and awareness of computational perspectives; and 3) the importance of group work in nurturing girls’ computational participation. This study contributes to the research on strategies for addressing the gender gap in computing through providing informal learning opportunities for young girls.

Keywords:

• Digital divide/equity issues
• case studies
• STEM
• middle school (grades 6-8)

Additional information

Funding

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 1543209.

Notes on contributors

Sarah Barksdale

Sarah Barksdale is a Doctoral Candidate in the Curriculum and Instruction department with a focus on Learning Technologies at the University of Minnesota. Her research interests are teacher education, K12 computer science education, online learning, and technology integration.

Cassandra Scharber is an Associate Professor of Learning Technologies in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Minnesota, USA. Her research focuses on K12 computer science education, technology integration, and digital literacies within formal and informal learning settings.

Yu-Hui Chang a Doctoral Candidate in the Learning Technologies program within the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Minnesota. Her research focuses on technology integration and professional development in the digital age. She is also working on using qualitative content analysis to explore computational participation, knowledge builidng, and online collaboration.