Evaluating Alliances Supported by the NSF-CISE Broadening Participation in Computing Program

American Association For The Advancement Of Science, Washington DC

Investigators

Abstract

The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Center for Advancing Science & Engineering Capacity proposes to develop and execute a 3-year evaluation of the Alliance component of the NSF Broadening Participation in Computing (BPC) program. The Capacity Center seeks to (1) reduce underrepresentation of women of all racial or ethnic groups and those from traditionally underserved groups (African American, Latino, and American Indian, and persons with disabilities) in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), and (2) promote structural changes that grow the capacity of institutions to aid the successful entry of all graduates into postgraduate study and the technical workforce. This proposed evaluation - to be done in collaboration with the evaluation teams from each Alliance - will illuminate the wisdom of practice on "what works" and "what doesn't work" and make these lessons accessible to practitioners for their own local adaptation as alliances that sustain broadening participation in computing. It hopes to address questions such as How is BPC affecting the capacity of the community to broaden participation from education to workplace? What practices seem promising for whom and in what settings? How are relationships among partners maturing, being leveraged, and expanding the sphere of influence within the national computing community?