2024 Collaborative Network for Engineering & Computing Diversity (CoNECD)

Community colleges (CCs) provide educational opportunities for students from a variety of backgrounds. More specifically, CCs also provide exposure to computing disciplines and provide students with the opportunity to learn more about computing applications, such as artificial intelligence (AI). Hispanic-serving institutions (HSIs) can positively promote a sense of belonging, racial identity development, and community for students. However, few studies focus on the unique context of Hispanic-serving community colleges (HSCCs) and even fewer center on how students at HSCCs develop computing identity, even though having a strong computing identity has been shown to enhance persistence and completion.

The purpose of this presentation is to provide information on the structure and implementation of an NSF-HSI funded project designed to create an Artificial Intelligence certificate program at an HSCC and share preliminary findings on how courses within the certificate influence students’ computing identity formation. The HSCC offers an AI certificate as a 3-course sequence that consists of courses related to AI thinking, AI ethics, and applied AI for business. The certificate program was designed to broaden participation within computing by providing students with introductory overview and training in computing topics.

As part of the larger project, the research team conducted a qualitative phenomenological research study to understand the computing identity experiences of HSCC students. The team utilized semi-structured interviews to explore the experiences of (n=20) students who have taken courses in the AI certificate sequence. Guided by Rodriguez et al. (2020)’s conceptual framework for computing identity development, the interviews explored identity formation elements (interest, competence, performance, and recognition), intersectionality, and community cultural wealth as well as elements of the HSCC context. Preliminary findings suggest that students who entered the certificate program with prior computing experience were able to identify elements of their computing identity easier. Additionally, students had a wide array of personal and/or professional experiences that influenced their decision to pursue computing education. Students utilized their prior experiences and interests in computing and AI as motivating factors, or forms of community cultural wealth, to persist in the certificate program when they encountered challenges with coursework. For this presentation, we will also present literature on community college students who work and how the students in our study were affirmed in their computing identity development by various elements of their current employment positions.

We will conclude with implications for practice such as suggestions for program implementation, creating and maintaining inclusive spaces that support and uplift computing students at HSCCs, and further exploring the assets and skills of students who work.