Feeling the weight of the water: a longitudinal study of how capital and identity shape young people’s computer science trajectories over time, age 10–21
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Background and Context
There is a call for more young people to continue into higher education computer science (CS).
Objective
To understand young people’s choices into and away from CS, by addressing the inequalities their trajectories as shaped over time and in relation to their capital and identities.
Method
Ninety-four longitudinal interviews were conducted with nine young people and their parents from age 10/11 to age 21/22, analysed through the lens of identity and capital.
Findings
CS-related capital facilitated “smooth” transitions into CS-degrees, with family capital being salient in the choice-process, and out-of-school experiences for navigating CS-courses. Other young people faced disjunctures between their capital, identity and the field of CS education, feeling “the weight of the water”, experiencing study challenges and being at risk of withdrawing. Finally, a group of young people were “navigating a different waterway”, reflecting a greater fit with a different field.
Implications
We call for actions to broadening what counts as CS.
There is a call for more young people to continue into higher education computer science (CS).
Objective
To understand young people’s choices into and away from CS, by addressing the inequalities their trajectories as shaped over time and in relation to their capital and identities.
Method
Ninety-four longitudinal interviews were conducted with nine young people and their parents from age 10/11 to age 21/22, analysed through the lens of identity and capital.
Findings
CS-related capital facilitated “smooth” transitions into CS-degrees, with family capital being salient in the choice-process, and out-of-school experiences for navigating CS-courses. Other young people faced disjunctures between their capital, identity and the field of CS education, feeling “the weight of the water”, experiencing study challenges and being at risk of withdrawing. Finally, a group of young people were “navigating a different waterway”, reflecting a greater fit with a different field.
Implications
We call for actions to broadening what counts as CS.
Date Acceptance
2024-02-14
Citation
Computer Science Education, pp.1-29
ISSN
0899-3408
Publisher
Taylor and Francis Group
Start Page
1
End Page
29
Journal / Book Title
Computer Science Education
Copyright Statement
© 2024 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/ licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. The terms on which this article has been published allow the posting of the Accepted Manuscript in a repository by the author(s) or with their consent.
Identifier
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/08993408.2024.2320009
Publication Status
Published online
Date Publish Online
2024-04-25