Fostering a Culture of Belonging in CS Education

Abstract

Diversity, equity and inclusion are oft-stated goals of CS departments across the US. Ensuring all genders, races and ethnic groups are welcomed and treated thoughtfully and fairly in academic spaces are important goals that require real action. In this discussion, we would like to lead a discussion on how to foster a culture of inclusion and belonging in our CS communities. In this BoF session, we will pose questions regarding strategies that foster feelings of truly being part of a CS educational community, as well as roadblocks to achieving those feelings of belonging. We will consider whether these actions should be mostly led by faculty to faculty conversations, or whether we should be discussing how to make progress in this area with our students in the context of our courses. We will ask participants to share experiences and resources to assist in fostering a culture of belonging both within their classrooms and more broadly within their departments.