BPC-DP: Opportunities for Promoting Equity and Nurturing Academic Career-preparation in Computing Education for Student Success (OPEN-ACCESS) at Hispanic Serving Institutions

Technical interviews are a component of hiring for computing positions pervasive in the industry that necessitate solving coding problems in real-time. Apart from obtaining a solution to the task given, job candidates are also encouraged to consider the algorithmic efficiency, to test their approach, and to verbally communicate decisions made throughout. While students are taught programming, algorithms, and data structures during their education, applying these principles under duress can be challenging and often requires immense practice. This BPC Demonstration Project at Florida International University will aid in students’ preparation for these interviews while cultivating professional and technical competencies for Hispanic or Latiné/x/a/o undergraduate students at Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) in the southeast. Through a combination of research and education, the project will create and disseminate resources that celebrate the diversity of language and cultures of Hispanic or Latiné/x/a/o students using meaningful examples to further understanding of computing concepts. Moreover, this content will provide faculty with lessons and learning activities that they can incorporate throughout curricula and programs to aid in better preparation for a computing career. Ultimately, this initiative will establish opportunities across the participating institutions to empower the next generation of Hispanic or Latiné/x/a/o students in computing. This project seeks to: 1) construct culturally relevant materials for Hispanic or Latiné/x/a/o students, which can be integrated into courses and programs at HSIs in the southeastern region of the U.S.; 2) increase awareness of and familiarity with the technical interview process in academia.; and 3) establish opportunities for students to gain exposure, transfer knowledge, and/or practically apply computing principles needed for career attainment. The project includes a qualitative investigation exploring the conceptions of educators at HSIs in the southeast on the hiring process in computing and how preparation could align with existing institutional structures. Through semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis, approaches that could be effective in enhancing students’ graduate employability will be examined. Alongside an advisory board with combined expertise on our population of focus, academia, and industry, the findings will then be used to develop inclusive content that can be integrated throughout curricula and offered as training by student-led groups. In the following year, the findings will be disseminated through a workshop hosted for faculty and student leaders at HSIs in the southeastern region of the U.S. to share the established resources and collaboratively discuss how these lessons and learning activities could be integrated into existing courses and extracurricular programs. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.