Maureen S. BiggersCollege of Computing

Georgia Institute of Technology

J. McGrath CohoonNational Center for Women & IT

&University of Virginia

Some of your

students will leave no

matter what you do

Some of your

students will stay no

matter what you doSome of your

students will allow you to

influence their decisions to stay or leave

Five sets of retention recommendations• Based on research

o Institutional retentiono Retention in computing majors

Assess your department’s retention practices

A few words of advice about change

Routinely facilitate academic success

Promote community

Maintain interest through curriculum

Support students

Monitor outcomes

Test early and often

Put Performance in Context

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A=75 – 100B = 60 – 74

Skill building through

Practice

Practice

Practice

REU

Find some truth in whatever students say

Inhibit show-offsPromote asking questions

Critical to student experience• Feedback & context• Practice builds skill• Participation• Encourage persistence

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXCVIXS3Dm8&mode=related&search=

Peer led team learning

Pair programming

www.umkc.edu/cad/si

•Higher test scores•Higher levels of student involvement•Higher levels of enthusiasm•Pursuit of topics to more advanced levels

Community & academic achievement•Greater sense of academic community•Quality interaction with profs and peers

Avoid isolating women and minoritiesFacilitate student interaction

• Study groups• ACM• Women’s groups• Peer mentoring

Use inclusive languageSpotlight women for their accomplishments, not their gender

CS and …

Programming is a toolSurvey course

Use meaningful examplesDescribe how skills can be applied

• Especially in ways that help people

Computer science is

“creating the

applications, processes,

and tools that allow

computers to solve real

world problems” not

being a “code monkey”

Reach out to women

The first 3 - 6 weeks on your campus can make or break for program completion

therefore . . .

FRONTLOAD

Early Warning SystemCall those who miss 2-3 consecutive classesBelow “C” on first testFailure to register

•Describe your personal history

• highlight shared elements

•Explain how they could achieve what you achieved

Measure goal attainmentReport results

Revise

Continue/Discontinue

Minute Paper• What is the most

important thing you’ve learned in class today?

• What is the main, unanswered question you have?

Punctuation LecturesStop and reflect on what students were doing

Productive Study Time Logs Record time spent studying for class

• When • How productively

http://www.ntlf.com/html/lib/bib/assess.htm

Student Experience of the Major

Track enrollmentTrack course outcomes

Report results

Gender Diversity in Computing

Attracting, Retaining, & Advancing Women in Undergraduate Computing

Awards #05335

80#05335

65

Routinely facilitate academic success

Promote community

Maintain interest through curriculum

Support students

Monitor outcomes

Overall Advice

Start right

Classroom experience is critical