A Shift To Praxis- Towards a More Inclusive Research Agenda about Belonging in Computer Science

Studies of computing student belonging have proliferated in recent years. A theme in the work has been quantitative efforts to measure belonging in a way that is generalizable across contexts, and emphasized differences in demographic groups' perceptions of belonging, with groups underrepresented in computing often coming up short by comparison. In this perspective on equity piece, the author suggests rich, contextual studies of belonging may unearth the complexities of these dynamic perceptions that students hold. Similarly, expanding the sites of student research participation beyond large elite institutions to include majority-minority institutions could complicate the notion of belonging and "fitting-in." Alternative research agendas that center praxis in computer science belonging may improve efforts of inclusion, and provide useable knowledge about whether and how students come to belong in the field.