EPET Brown Bag: Patricia Garcia

Expressive Electronics: Broadening Participation in Computing Through Identity Exploration

Abstract

The continual underrepresentation of women of color in computing necessitates innovative strategies for diversifying entry points to computing knowledge. Drawing on results from a pilot study implemented in public libraries across three states, this talk will highlight a collaborative project aimed at promoting computational thinking skills among girls of color through the use of identity exploration and creative circuitry. The talk will contribute to a discussion on how to address gender and racial inequities in computing through informal learning experiences that center student experiences and leverage diverse student identities as assets in learning spaces.

About the Speaker

Patricia Garcia is an assistant professor in the School of Information at the University of Michigan. She conducts interdisciplinary action research on race, gender, and technology with a special interest in promoting equitable and culturally responsive STEM programming for girls of color. Her current work focuses on broadening participation in computing by developing a low-resource model for teaching computational thinking skills in informal learning environments such as libraries.