More than Binary, More than Normative, More than Quantities: Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Students in Postsecondary Computer Science Education

Transgender and gender nonconforming (TGNC) students are underrepresented in CS education and have been found to leave the field at higher rates than their counterparts. While there is a great deal of Computer Science (CS) education research focused on other underrepresented groups, it rarely includes those who are TGNC. Overall, there is a dearth of research in CS education which acknowledges and investigates lived gender outside of the binary. Employing voices of non-binary and transgender students in computing, this project employs surveys, interviews, and a focus group to gain a deeper understanding of the experience of gender diverse people in CS education. The study finds that TGNC students enjoy the field of computing, feel confident about their skills and abilities, and foresee being successful in their coursework. At the same time, they do not feel that they belong and they worry about their future in CS employment. A high percentage of study respondents do not feel able to express their gender authentically and do not feel supported by faculty and staff in their departments. Students with multiple marginalized identities report compounded and unique challenges. Participants recommend that the CS education community integrate TGNC-related topics in curriculum, increase representation of TGNC people, and invest in the development of TGNC centered/aware mentorships. Based on the findings, a new paradigm, TransForm CS, is put forth, which centers TGNC students in each of its core pillars: curriculum, pedagogy, policy, and CS education research. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]