Engineering identity plays a vital role in the persistence of engineering students, yet limited research exists on how particular pedagogical approaches influence engineering identity at the college level. This qualitative case study explored how undergraduate student perceptions of design thinking pedagogy influence computer, electrical, and software engineering identity. The study found that design thinking pedagogy reinforces the recognition of an engineering identity, particularly for those from historically marginalized groups (i.e., women, people of color). Intentional implementation, including organization and framing of design thinking pedagogy, was an essential foundation for fostering student interest in the course and connecting to their role as engineers. This study suggests that design thinking is a fruitful area to explore to create more inclusive engineering environments. This study’s findings will assist educational stakeholders in understanding the design thinking pedagogy and engineering identity experiences of CES undergraduate engineering majors. Findings may encourage institutions to view the engineering curriculum in terms of identity development and understand how intersectional identities influence the ways students, particularly those from marginalized backgrounds, experience the environment.

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.

Academic scholarship has demonstrated the importance of father engagement in fostering early educational success of their children, but little exploration in this area has focused on the role that fathers play in the college success of their Latino male sons. The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand the role of fathers in the educational success of Latino men attending community colleges. Using community cultural wealth as a lens for this study, the experiences of 130 Latino men at community colleges in Texas were highlighted. Results demonstrated how fathers provided support, consejos (advice), and encouragement to their sons. Nonetheless, fathers also expected their sons to work and contribute to the family finances. These complications influenced the way in which Latino men viewed the college-going process and interacted with their fathers.

The purpose of this multi-institutional qualitative study was to understand the educational pathways of Latino males by underscoring the unique role female family members play in their academic pursuits—through the voice of these young men. Findings demonstrate female family members were identified as being primary supporters of their educational pursuits, and actively leveraged different sources of cultural capital to help Latino males enroll and persist through postsecondary education. This study reinforces extant literature on the importance of family in the educational pathways of Latina/o students. Furthermore, it makes a unique contribution by highlighting the important role female family members hold in the Latino family as educational advocates

This qualitative, phenomenological research study explored how 17 Latina undergraduate science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) majors developed their STEM identities. The study focused on the role that self- and outside recognition as a STEM individual played in the process. Interviews revealed students’ self-recognition in many forms. Outside recognition came primarily from STEM peers, faculty members, and family members. Self- and outside recognition were often negotiated through the lens of intersectional identities held by the participants.

This article explores the application of science identity development theory for women of color interested in the science disciplines; and it advocates for taking an intersectional approach to understanding how women of color form science identities. The article also challenges community college administrators and scholars to focus on redefining science identity development theory within the community college setting as a means to enhance success for women of color pursuing academic work in scientific disciplines.

Women of color are severely underrepresented in science and engineering occupations; they make up approximately 5% of employed scientists and engineers (2% Black, 2% Hispanic, 1% American Indian, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, or Other Pacific Islander, and multiple race; National Science Foundation, 2015). Often facing challenges related to sexism and racism within the sciences, many women of color find it difficult to conceptualize themselves as scientists and fail to develop a strong science identity (Carlone & Johnson, 2007Carlone, H. B., & Johnson, A. (2007). Understanding the science experiences of successful women of color: Science identity as an analytic lens. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 44(8), 1187–1218. doi:10.1002/(ISSN)1098-2736[Crossref], [Web of Science ®], [Google Scholar]). This is particularly troublesome as science identity development has been shown to influence science undergraduate major persistence and interest, especially for women of color (Brickhouse, Lowery, & Schultz, 2000Brickhouse, N. W., Lowery, P., & Schultz, K. (2000). What kind of a girl does science? The construction of school science identities. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 37(5), 441–458. doi:10.1002/(ISSN)1098-2736[Crossref], [Web of Science ®], [Google Scholar]; Carlone & Johnson, 2007Carlone, H. B., & Johnson, A. (2007). Understanding the science experiences of successful women of color: Science identity as an analytic lens. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 44(8), 1187–1218. doi:10.1002/(ISSN)1098-2736[Crossref], [Web of Science ®], [Google Scholar]).

Because community colleges continue to serve as important entry points for women of color into the sciences (Reyes, 2011Reyes, M. (2011). Unique challenges for women of color in STEM transferring from community colleges to universities. Harvard Educational Review, 81(2), 241–263. doi:10.17763/haer.81.2.324m5t1535026g76[Crossref], [Web of Science ®], [Google Scholar]; St. Rose & Hill, 2013St. Rose, A., & Hill, C. (2013). Women in community colleges: Access to success (Report). Washington, DC: American Association of University Women. [Google Scholar]; Tsapogas, 2004Tsapogas, J. (2004). The role of community colleges in the education of recent science and engineering graduates (Info Brief). Washington, DC: National Science Foundation. [Google Scholar]), these institutions are uniquely positioned to enhance the science identity development of these women. Knowledge and experience alone are insufficient for sustaining interest in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields (Carlone, 2003Carlone, H. B. (2003). (Re)producing good science students: Girls’ participation in high school physics. Journal of Women and Minorities in Science and Engineering, 9(1), 17–34. doi:10.1615/JWomenMinorScienEng.v9.i1[Crossref], [Google Scholar]); and promotion of a narrow range of science identities could alienate students who reject such identities (Brickhouse & Potter, 2001Brickhouse, N. W., & Potter, J. T. (2001). Young women’s scientific identity formation in an urban context. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 38(8), 965–980. doi:10.1002/(ISSN)1098-2736[Crossref], [Web of Science ®], [Google Scholar]; Carlone, 2003Carlone, H. B. (2003). (Re)producing good science students: Girls’ participation in high school physics. Journal of Women and Minorities in Science and Engineering, 9(1), 17–34. doi:10.1615/JWomenMinorScienEng.v9.i1[Crossref], [Google Scholar], 2004Carlone, H. B. (2004). The cultural production of science in reform-based physics: Girls’ access participation, and resistance. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 41(4), 392–414. doi:10.1002/(ISSN)1098-2736[Crossref], [Web of Science ®], [Google Scholar]; Eisenhart & Finkel, 1998Eisenhart, M. A., & Finkel, E. (1998). Women’s science: Learning and succeeding from the margins. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press. [Google Scholar]). Thus, community colleges have the potential to lead the way in shaping structures and practices to enable women of color to succeed in the sciences. The purpose of this article is to explore the potential of using Science Identity Development Theory, demonstrate the importance of an intersectional approach to science identity, and suggest implications for community college practice, policy, research, and evaluation.

This theoretical paper explores the need for enhanced, intersectional computing identity theory for the purpose of developing a diverse group of computer scientists for the future. Greater theoretical understanding of the identity formation process specifically for computing is needed in order to understand how students come to understand themselves as computer scientists. To ensure that the next generation of computer scientists is diverse, this paper presents a case for examining identity development intersectionally, understanding the ways in which women and underrepresented students may have difficulty identifying as computer scientists and be systematically oppressed in their pursuit of computer science careers. Through a review of the available scholarship, this paper suggests that creating greater theoretical understanding of the computing identity development process will inform the way in which educational stakeholders consider computer science practices and policies.

This study explored how administrators at community colleges conceptualized change related to resource allocation and managing competing priorities to support targeted programming for Latino men. The study included the perspectives of 39 administrators from seven community colleges across Texas using concepts associated with institutional change to ground our analysis. Findings revealed that state and national initiatives, particularly those concerned with enhancing success for students of color, influenced how community college administrators approached change on their campuses. In addition, community college institutional mission, leadership, and a desire for data-informed resource management influenced the approach to resource allocation for Latino men.

Community college faculty members are essential to promoting student engagement and success, yet little research in this area has focused on the interactions of Latino men with their faculty members. The study utilized Harris and Wood’s (2013) Socio-Ecological Outcomes (SEO) model which focuses on the educational success of men of color in community colleges, to examine how Latino men made meaning of their interactions with faculty members and how these interactions influenced their community college success. Latino men made meaning of their faculty experiences based on (a) the accessibility and approachability of the faculty member, (b) their own hesitancy to seek help from faculty members, and (c) the level of investment or authentic care exhibited by the faculty member. These student-faculty interactions influenced the way in which Latino men engaged both inside and outside of the classroom as well as the way in which they sought support from faculty members.