Supporting Belonging in Software Engineering Through Role Models Exposure

TL;DR

This paper explores embedding historically grounded role models into software engineering teaching to promote inclusivity without disrupting technical learning objectives.

Contribution

It introduces a low-disruption, iterative approach to integrate diverse role models into core technical lectures in software engineering education.

Findings

Embedded role models enhance representation and inclusivity.

The approach maintains technical rigor and instructional flow.

Iterative refinement improves integration effectiveness.

Abstract

Role models are widely discussed in educational research as influential in students identity development and sense of belonging, yet less attention has been given to how role model visibility can be systematically embedded within everyday engineering instruction. This paper presents an analytic autoethnographic account of integrating historically grounded role models into routine software engineering teaching practice. Drawing on reflective memos and instructional artifacts across multiple course offerings, we characterize how brief, topic aligned contextualizations of pioneers were incorporated into core technical lectures without altering learning objectives or assessments. The findings indicate that this structurally embedded approach functioned as a low disruption pedagogical practice that aligned representation with disciplinary substance, situating diverse contributors as foundational to the development of software architecture. The integration was iterative and refined across semesters to strengthen topic alignment and instructional flow. These results suggest that embedding historically grounded representation within technical content may serve as a practical mechanism for supporting inclusivity while preserving technical rigor in engineering education.