Our Measures
The CAHSI INCLUDES Backbone has mobilized a data management (DM) team, an external evaluation team, and a research team to monitor progress and continue creating and disseminating new knowledge about Latinx success in computing through systematic change. These three teams are closely interrelated as they have a common goal which is to understand progress and inform CAHSI INCLUDES how to accomplish our vision and goals. Each team conducts distinctive roles by presenting different approaches, goals, and audiences in order to provide a critical information for CAHSI INCLUDES from diverse and comprehensive perspectives. The table below provides details.
Data Management
Team
The DM team identified three types of shared measures to monitor and access the progress of our vision and goals. The DM team collects departmental enrollment data directly from partner institutions. To collect and manage the enrollment data, the DM team created the list of partner institutions of higher education and confirmed the list with leads and regional connectors/coordinators. The list of partner institutions is updated and verified annually or by need. The DM team uses publicly available data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) on the US Department of Education website to gather and manage the degree completion data. Using the degree completion data sets, the DM team conducts rigorous analyses of race/ethnicity, gender, and Latina parity within each institution. Furthermore, the DM team administer climate survey in order to measure students’ perceptions of departmental climate and significant predictors of student academic success.
In order for each CAHSI institution to track their strategic actions to improve institutional and student capacity building, the technical support team at UTEP developed the CAHSI Engage tool for CAHSI institutions to enter data for each strategic action that is implemented. The Engage tool aligns with the visioning document that contains the vision, mission, and strategic objectives of CAHSI INCLUDES.
Evaluation
Team
The evaluation activities are led by Heather Thiry, Ph.D., and Sarah Hug, Ph.D., of Colorado Evaluation & Research Consulting (CE&RC) and the University of Colorado Boulder. Evaluative data is collected and shared with the Alliance with a focus on regional- and Alliance-level outcomes and monitoring the use of student and departmental level data to improve its practices and approach. Select training sessions held by the CAHSI Alliance are observed and analyzed using classroom observation protocols and CAHSI member surveys that are utilized to identify pedagogical patterns. Evaluative data is collected in the form of online survey responses, focus group and interview audio files and transcripts, and participant observation notes from regular meetings with region leads, backbone members, All Hands meetings, and event observations such as online workshops and webinars.
Research
Team
Dr. Anne-Marie Nunez from The Ohio State University oversees the research design, data collection, data analysis, and dissemination, specifically that addresses how the organizational culture of participants in the INCLUDES Alliance affects opportunity structures such as the pursuit of degrees and careers in computer sciences for students, faculty, and administrators. The purpose of the social science research study is to examine organizational behaviors in CAHSI departments that contribute to student support and success of Hispanics in computing. More specifically, the multiple qualitative case study aims to:
- Analyze academic support that engages Hispanic students: Explore how faculty and administrators teach and engage students in culturally-relevant ways, within and beyond the classroom, with respect to pedagogical approaches, curricula, and special programs.
- Examine strategies of social support of Hispanic students: Investigate how department personnel engage in culturally-relevant advising, mentoring, and other social interactions with Hispanic students.
Identify approaches toward financial support of Hispanic students: Investigate how faculty and administrators employ culturally-relevant strategies to address the financial challenges that many Hispanic students face.
This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant HRD-1834620 and No. 1551221. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.