Social Capital and Persistence in Computer Science of Google's Computer Science Summer Institute (CSSI) Students
Marjan Naghshbandi, Sharon Ferguson, Alison Olechowski

TL;DR
This study investigates how Google's CSSI program influences students' social capital development and long-term persistence in computer science, highlighting mentorship, collaboration, and social activities as key factors.
Contribution
It provides novel insights into the long-term social capital effects of CS support programs on underrepresented students' persistence in CS.
Findings
Social capital build-up is linked to internships and career goals.
Mentorship and social activities enhance social capital development.
Program elements influence students' long-term CS persistence.
Abstract
While a lucrative and growing field, low levels of gender and racial diversity in CS remain prevalent. Education and workforce support programs with the intention to promote underrepresented students' persistence in CS exist, which teach skills, inform of career options, and grow students' network in CS. Studies demonstrate these programs' effectiveness as it relates to changes in affective outcomes, such as participants' confidence in CS skills and attitudes towards CS jobs. However, programs' longitudinal impact on participants' build-up of social capital in CS, and the resulting social capital's influence on their persistence in CS, remain unexplored. Motivated by the literature that associates demographic identifiers with access to social capital, and students' access to developmental relationships and career resources (social capital) in CS with their persistence, this study…
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Taxonomy
TopicsOnline Learning and Analytics
