Recruiting Students into Computer Science: More participation = greater opportunity. NCWIT slide deck for EDC and CAITE webinar with Massachusetts teachers and counselors

1. Jane Krauss, NCWIT
March 15, 2016
Recruiting Students into Computer Science
more participation  greater opportunity

2. 2. Factors
influencing
participation
• Infrastructure
• Girls and Boys
3. Encouraging
participation
• Recruit
• Sustain
• Advance
WELCOME
1. Set the Scene: MA Computing landscape

3. THE COMPUTING LANDSCAPE

4. COMPUTER SCIENCE EDUCATION
You’re part of a national movement!
NSF CS 10K Project 10,000 teachers in 10,000 high
schools teaching new, rigorous curricula
New Courses Exploring Computer Science (ECS) and
new AP CS Principles: courses aimed at increasing
participation among underrepresented groups
Computing in the Core Ed policy effort to make CS count
for graduation, sci/math for college – MA: Not yet
CS Education Week Awareness campaign and
celebration each December, incl. Code.org’s Hour of Code

5. Michael Stone, Albert Einstein Fellow, NSF
Teachers trained in ECS and CSP

6. WHERE THE SCHOOLS WERE: 2013
Districts with more than
10 AP-CS test-takers
and more than 3 with
passing 3-5 grades

7. WHERE THE SCHOOLS ARE: 2016

8. 2015 MA AP Test
Taking by Gender
Calculus AB
Computer Sci A
CALCULUSAB
CALCABPERCENTAGE
Boys/Girls
COMPUTERSCIENCEA
CSAPERCENTAGE
Boys/Girls
RATIOCALCABtoCSA
TOTAL 8876 -- 1784 -- 31:1
MALES 4505 51% 1394 78% 5:1
FEMALES 4371 49% 400 22% 10:1
2015 MA AP TEST TAKING BY GENDER

9. THE MA INNOVATION ECONOMY
Massachusetts ranks number 1 nationally in:
» knowledge jobs, high tech jobs, managerial,
professional and technical jobs, workforce education
Massachusetts ranks number 2 nationally in:
» fast growing firms, migration to the state of U.S.-
based knowledge workers, broadband
telecommunication infrastructure and deployment,
health IT, and investments of venture capital.
The 2012 State New Economy Index.
Information Technology and Innovation Foundation

10. Massachusetts STEM and CS

11. High School, 482
High School, 213
Some college, 260
Some college, 608
Associates degree, 181
Associates degree, 263
BA, 464
BA, 1983
Gap, 1690
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
Supply Openings
Number
Openings vs Supply (MA): Computer and Math Occupa ons

13. 21
19
22
87
13
31
21
15
4
7
14
20
11
9
2
106
95
148
236
80
93
50
27
44
49
24
54
16
33
4
1
883
794
496
297
391
158
210
190
130
109
106
68
92
51
20
20
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200
Database Administrators
Computer Hardware Engineers
All Other Computer Occupa ons
So ware Developers, Applica ons
Computer Network Architects
Computer Programmers
Computer User Support Specialists
Web Developers
Network and Computer Sys. Admins
Computer Network Support Specialists
Comp. and Info. Research Scien sts
Comp. and Info. Sys. Managers
Systems So ware Developers
Computer Systems Analysts
Informa on Security Analysts
Postsecondary CS Teachers
Annual Openings (MA): by Title and Educa on Level
High School or less Some college or associates degree BA or more
Examine:
www.DICE.com

14. Where the Jobs Are and Aren’t
STEM DEGREES AND JOBS IN THE US

15. American Intl College Amherst College Anna Maria College Assumption Collage
Atlantic Union College Babson College Bard College Becker College Bentley U
Berkshire CC Boston College Boston U Brandeis U Bridgewater State U
Bristol CC Bunker Hill CC Cape Cod CC. Clark U Curry College Dean College
Eastern Nazarene College Elms College Emerson College. Endicott College
Fisher College Fitchburg State U Framingham State U Gordon College Gordon
College Greenfield CC Hampshire College Harvard U Holy Cross College
Holyoke CC ITT Tech Inst Lasell College Marian Court College MA College of
Art and Design MA College of Liberal Arts MIT U of MA Amherst U of MA
Boston U of MA Dartmouth U of MA Lowell Massasoit CC Merrimack College
Mount Holyoke Mount Wachusett CC New Eng Inst of Art Newbury College
North Shore CC Northern Northern Essex CC Quincy College Quinsigamond
CC Regis College Roxbury CC Salem State U Boston MA Sanford U Simmons
College Smith College Springfield College Springfield Tech CC Stonehill
College Suffolk U Tufts U Wellesley College Wentworth Inst of Tech Western
New England U Westfield State Wheaton College Williams College Worcester
Polytechnic Inst Worcester State U
Technical Degree-Granting Institutions in MA

16. Artificial Intelligence, Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services,
Computer and Information Sciences, Computer and Information Sciences,
Computer and Information Systems Security/Information Assurance, Computer
Graphics, Computer Programming, Computer Programming, Specific
Applications, Computer Programming, Vendor/Product Certification, Computer
Programming/Programmer, General, Computer Science, Computer Software and
Media Applications, Computer Support Specialist, Computer Systems
Analysis/Analyst, Computer Systems, Networking and Telecommunications,
Computer/Information Technology Svcs. Administration and Management, Data
Entry/Microcomputer Applications, Data Modeling/Warehousing and Database
Administration, Data Processing Technology/Technician, Informatics, Information
Science/Studies, Information Technology, Information Technology Project
Management, Modeling, Virtual Environments and Simulation, Network and
System Administration/Administrator, System, Networking, and LAN/WAN
Management/Manager, Web Page, Digital/Multimedia and Information Resources
Design, Web/Multimedia Management and Webmaster
TECH MAJORS & DEGREES CONFERRED IN MA

17. Attend to considerations
of infrastructure
As an elective, where
does CS fit in the
master schedule?
 Who’s job is it to know
about, recruit for the
course?
 Role of parents
What Can Influencers Do?
Chat: What issues affect access in your school?

18. Make the most of four
external factors that
influence student
education & career
choices
What Can Influencers Do?
 Be alert to four
internal factors that
influence student
education & career
choices

19. EXTERNAL
FACTORS
influencing
students’
education
and career
choices
Access to quality
experiences
Exposure to role
models
Encouragement Recognition
What can counselors do?

20. 1. Human Computer
Interaction
2. Problem Solving
3. Web Design
4. Introduction to
Programming
5. Computing and Data
Analysis
6. Robotics
Show what kids will do in...
EXPLORING COMPUTER SCIENCE

21. 21
ENCOURAGEMENT
Tell kids how personal capabilities, experiences
map to CS
You might be good at Computer Science if
you have…

22. PERSONAL FACTORS
INFLUENCING CAREER CHOICES
Choice of
Occupation

23. INTEREST

24. What can counselors do? Encourage
CONNECT WITH PERSONAL INTERESTS,
ACTIVITIES
Yearbook
Sports
Music
Cheer
Clubs
Service

25. What can counselors do? Encourage
Girls’ most-reported
college majors,
according to the SAT:
1. Health & Allied
Services
2. Social Sciences &
History
3. Business & Commerce
4. Education
5. Visual or Performing
Arts
CONNECT WITH CAREER INTERESTS
AP CSP Video

26. Confidence

27. DON’T MISTAKE CONFIDENCE OR
EXPERIENCE FOR ABILITY

28. EMPHASIZE GROWTH IN
INTELLIGENCE
See Carol Dweck’s work
The effort to master
difficult material
actually increases
intellectual ability

29. DESCRIBE HOW YOU, THE COURSE PROMOTE SUCCESS
• What you do to make sure students are successful
• Interesting projects and assignments
• Relevance to career preparation
BE ENCOURAGING AND STRAIGHTFORWARD ABOUT
DEMANDS OF THE CLASS
“You’d be great at this”
“This will be new for you, so you will have to work, but you
can do it”
“I want you in my class”

30. IDENTITY

31. CONNECT WITH ROLE MODELS
Who?
Pros and Students…
Industry professionals
Technical parents
University faculty and students
“Near” peers
Aspiration Award winners
Where?
Community…
School…
Job shadow, internship
Field trip
University tour
Career fair
Guest lecture

32. BELONGING

33. PROMOTE
BELONGING AND
INCLUSIVITY
• Have friends recruit friends
• Use inclusive language
• Tell them you want them to study computing
• Set up a welcoming physical environment
• Recruit in groups

34. INVITING ENVIRONMENTS
communicate a sense of belonging to a broad population
http://bit.ly/1Eykiqv http://bit.ly/1E9UhuQ
Kim Arnold’s SlideShare Deck

35. REACH OUT
Recruit at orientation,
elective fairs
Connect current
students with
prospective students
Collaborate with clubs,
sports teams
Talk to other counselors,
teachers
Share opportunities with
parents
AP RECRUITMENT ADVICE and VIDEO

36. OTHERS CAN DELIVER THE MESSAGE
Share messages with other influencers: counselors,
other teachers, principals, parents
Provide them with up-to-date information and resources

37. MAKE COMPUTER
SCIENCE VISIBLE

38. DEVELOP EXHIBITS AND POSTERS;
BRING IN GUEST SPEAKERS
Use successful messaging techniques
(ICBI)
Photos on posters: People rather than
things, results rather than tech
WGBH DotDiva www.dotdiva.org

39. MAKE PROJECTS VISIBLE
Show ECS projects in
• Posters
- outside classroom
- counseling office
- in library
• Web pages
• Blogs, newsletters
• Events
- teaser sessions
- gallery walks
http://ncnewschools.org/blog/games-with-a-purpose-938

40. PUBLICLY CELEBRATE SUCCESSES OF
CURRENT & FORMER STUDENTS

41. ncwit.org/award
RAISE VISIBILITY FOR
YOUR PROGRAM & STUDENTS

42. TURNED DOWN?
DON’T LET REFUSAL BE PERMANENT
 “Can we talk again before you choose your
courses for next year?”
 “If not now, consider CS in college”

43. Use NCWIT Materials
Counselors for Computing Kit
•What & how letter
•Pathway cards & poster
•Talking Point cards
•Aspiration Award info
•InfoSheet
•Lesson plan & presentation
www.ncwit.org/c4c
What can counselors do?

44. NCWIT “TOP 10 WAYS” BOOKLETS
Involve familiesRecruit girls Encourage
underrepresented
students
www.ncwit.resources/10ways

45. TALKING POINTS CARDS

46. SAMPLE JOBS AVAILABLE WITH
MILITARY TRAINING, WORK EXPERIENCE, EDUCATION
*Upon leaving service

47. SAMPLE JOBS AVAILABLE WITH
2-YEAR AA, AAS DEGREE OR INDUSTRY CERTIFICATION
…continues with 4-yr, adv. degree jobs

48. SAMPLE JOBS AVAILABLE WITH
4-YEAR OR ADVANCED DEGREE

49. ACTIVELY RECRUIT
Expose students to CS opportunities
Create successful messages
Reach out
Raise visibility of CS
Persuade personally and overcome
objections

50. Contact
Jane Krauss jkrauss@ncwit.org
Joyce Malyn-Smith jmsmith@edc.org
C4C Kits?
www.ncwit.org/c4c
Questions, Thoughts, Comments

51. From Code.org
• Massachusetts currently has 21,450 open computing jobs (3.2 times the
average demand rate in Massachusetts).
• The average salary for a computing occupation in MA is $100,663,
which is significantly higher than the average salary in the state
($57,610).
• Massachusetts had only 1,609 computer science graduates in 2014;
only 21% were female.
• Only 1,784 high school students in Massachusetts took the AP
Computer Science exam in 2015; only 22% were female; only 102 were
Hispanic; only 51 were black.
• Only 108 schools in MA (26% of MA schools with AP programs) offered
the AP Computer Science course in 2013-2014.
• There are fewer AP exams taken in computer science than in any other
STEM subject area.