Broadening participation in computing: The role of upward transfer

Abstract

Broadening participation in computing (BPC) has received increasing attention within the computing education community. Yet, much of the existing research on this topic focuses primarily on students who follow traditional pathways to four-year computing programs. This multi-institution study addresses this gap in the literature, providing insight into how upward transfer students (i.e., students who transfer from community colleges to four-year computing programs) fit into the larger BPC narrative. Specifically, I use survey data from computing majors across 15 universities to examine how the characteristics and experiences of upward transfer students differ from those of other computing majors. Findings reveal that while upward transfer students tend to be more diverse than other computing majors in terms of race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and other background characteristics, women are even more underrepresented among upward transfers compared to computing majors who began their degree at four-year institutions. These and other findings are discussed, focusing on implications for how institutions can support upward transfer students as part of their larger BPC efforts.