Computing education pathways from high school to community college: key strategies for aligning institutional systems

Background and contextHigh school students' interest in computing fields is not always sustained in community college due to a disconnect between institutions.ObjectiveTo understand how cross-sector collaborations can align institutional pathways in computing. Research questions: What cross-sector practices can be used to build a computing education pathway? What practices can be used to promote student agency? How does a cross-sector partnership address issues of equity in the computing education pathway?MethodA case study of a cross-sector research-practice partnership using interviews, observations, and meeting documentation.FindingsKey strategies for aligning institutional systems to increase persistence in computing classes include building cross-sector connections and structures that support student agency, and addressing the structural factors that perpetuate inequityImplicationsThe findings can inform efforts to build college and career pathways across the transition from high school to community college.