CAPITALIZING ON OPPORTUNITY OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM: EXPLORING SUPPORTS AND BARRIERS TO THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES OF COMPUTER SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING MAJORS

卷 17, 册 2, 2011, pp. 173-192

DOI: 10.1615/JWomenMinorScienEng.2011002913

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Jonathan M. Holland
Department of Psychology, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia 23529, USA

Debra A. Major
Department of Psychology, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia 23529, USA

Valerie Morganson
Veterans Health Administration

Karin A. Orvis
Department of Psychology, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia 23529, USAl

摘要

The underrepresentation of women and minorities in computer science and engineering is well documented, as are the challenges that students pursuing these majors face. Complementing the research on how engineering and computer science students cope with challenges, this qualitative study investigated how students capitalize on development opportunities outside of the classroom. Capitalization is defined as proactively and voluntarily seeking out positive opportunities for growth and development. To investigate this construct in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics context, male and female students were recruited from the computer science and engineering departments of a primarily white institution (PWI) and a historically black university (HBU). A total of sixty-two students participating in eight focus groups discussed opportunities for capitalization, as well as supports for and barriers to participating in those opportunities. Results revealed that students engage in formal and informal capitalization activities for intrinsic and extrinsic reasons. Moreover, they perceive a variety of factors that facilitate or constrain engagement in such activities. Similarities and differences between men and women, computer science and engineering majors, and the PWI and HBU were observed. Notably, women perceived their gender underrepresentation as a barrier to capitalization. However, gender appeared to be less of a barrier at the HBU, which offered several supports for capitalization. Qualitative findings are discussed in terms of their implications for future research and interventions.

键词: capitalization, professional development, engineering students, computer science students, gender differences, women in science, supports and barriers

对本文的引用

Holland Jonathan M., Major Debra A., Orvis Karin A., Understanding How Peer Mentoring and Capitalization Link STEM Students to Their Majors, The Career Development Quarterly, 60, 4, 2012. Crossref
Major Debra A., Morganson Valerie J., Bolen Heather M., Predictors of Occupational and Organizational Commitment in Information Technology: Exploring Gender Differences and Similarities, Journal of Business and Psychology, 28, 3, 2013. Crossref
Young Glenda, Knight David B., Simmons Denise R., Co-curricular experiences link to nontechnical skill development for African-American engineers: Communication, teamwork, professionalism, lifelong learning, and reflective behavior skills, 2014 IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE) Proceedings, 2014. Crossref
Morganson Valerie J., Major Debra A., Streets Valerie N., Litano Michael L., Myers Dante P., Using Embeddedness Theory to Understand and Promote Persistence in STEM Majors, The Career Development Quarterly, 63, 4, 2015. Crossref
Major Debra A., Streets Valerie N., Myers Dante P., Green Rachel E., A Passionate Approach to Recruiting and Retaining Engineering Research Participants, Journal of Engineering Education, 105, 3, 2016. Crossref
Magerko Brian, Freeman Jason, Mcklin Tom, Reilly Mike, Livingston Elise, Mccoid Scott, Crews-Brown Andrea, EarSketch, ACM Transactions on Computing Education, 16, 4, 2016. Crossref
Convertino Christina, Nuancing the discourse of underrepresentation: a feminist post-structural analysis of gender inequality in computer science education in the US, Gender and Education, 32, 5, 2020. Crossref
Vidal E., Castro E., Montoya S., Payihuanca K., Closing the Gender Gap in Engineering: Students Role Model Program, 2020 43rd International Convention on Information, Communication and Electronic Technology (MIPRO), 2020. Crossref
Simmons Denise R., Ye Yincheng, Ohland Matthew W., Garahan Katie, Understanding Students’ Incentives for and Barriers to Out-of-Class Participation: Profile of Civil Engineering Student Engagement, Journal of Professional Issues in Engineering Education and Practice, 144, 2, 2018. Crossref

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