WIP: Empowering Change by Cultivating Critical Consciousness in Computer Science Education at a Hispanic-Serving Institution

This research WIP paper presents findings from an interpretive case study of computer science (CS) students in a leadership course at a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI). The course incorporated a curriculum centered on building students' critical consciousness so that students were empowered to recognize and challenge structural barriers related to race and gender disparities in CS education and the workforce. Such awareness is imperative for actively engaging in the transformative process necessary for effecting meaningful change. Furthermore, fostering students' critical consciousness stands as a key endeavor, particularly within disciplines such as computer science, given the profound societal ramifications inherent to this field. Data were collected from surveys, such as the critical consciousness scale [1] to examine students' levels of critical consciousness awareness at the beginning of the semester. Preliminary findings on students' understanding of critical consciousness demonstrate an initial misconception of the term critical consciousness, possibly due to limited exposure to the concept. However, after engaging in lessons on gaining awareness of various forms of oppression within the educational system, students exhibited feelings of validation for their own experiences. Towards the end of the course, students were able to identify ways in which systemic oppression manifested itself in CS contexts and devised plans for collectively combating these injustices. This data underscores the need for more opportunities for the development of critical consciousness, emphasizing its dual significance in both understanding systemic and social barriers that limit Hispanic students' access to CS education and the workforce. This skill is necessary for propelling students to take action in challenging barriers, especially in a stratified technological world.

I. Introduction

The ubiquity of technology across various social sectors and its impact on historically underserved and minority populations in the world and within the United States underscores the imperative need for computer science (CS) professionals who not only master technical skills related to the field but also embody a range of professional skills [2] and a lens grounded in critical consciousness [3]. Exacerbating the problem is the significant lack of diversity within the computing field, which introduces additional complexity to the challenges encountered in computer science education and the workforce [4], [5]. In response, Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) are pioneering initiatives in computing education to bolster Hispanic students' development of both critical consciousness and leadership skills to better equip them for responding to the dynamic CS sector and its effects on minorities.