Diversity and inclusion in engineering and computing: A scoping review of recent FIE papers

Abstract

This Full-Length Research Paper presents findings from a scoping review of diversity research in engineering and computing education in the 2019–2020 FIE conference proceedings. The purpose of this review was to determine present-day themes and contributions of diversity research and identify opportunities for further research. Through the scoping review process, we identified 21 out of 776 papers that focused on a diverse population in engineering or computing, utilized an established methodology, and presented results. From these selected papers, three themes emerged. The first was about minority student experiences of discrimination and biases, and their resulting feelings of inclusivity and belonging. Results showed that these experiences and feelings negatively impacted success factors such as GPA and graduation in engineering or computing. A second theme was that financial need is a substantial deterrent to degrees in engineering and computing. Lastly, there were several investigations of the experiences of diverse students during active learning interventions in the classroom. The mixed results do not present a clear picture of how active learning might impact minority student success. Based on the existing work, we make recommendations for future diversity research. In general, much more quantitative, intervention-based research is needed. Several difficulties have been established, but almost no solutions have been identified.