Collaborative learning and new laboratory courses were among successful strategies used to retain computer science undergrads. Learn about these and other interventions that kept women and African Americans in the Computer Science Department.

Source:

Williams, Aurelia T. and Sandra J. DeLoatch, "Retaining Women in First Year CS Courses," Grace Hopper Women in Computing Conference, 2006.
Download

Alice v2.0 is free educational software. Its inviting interface and support of storytelling makes computer programming easier to learn and more fun for girls and women.

Source:

"Alice v2.0, Learn to Program Interactive 3D Graphics," Carnegie Mellon University.

Five years after introducing three key recruitment and retention strategies, women now make up around 42% of Harvey Mudd College's computer science program. In this Google Tech Talk video, Christine Alvarado shares the three practices Harvey Mudd College implemented to increase the number of women in their CS program: 1) new curriculum for CS1, 2) scholarship trips for female freshman to the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computer Science, and 3) hands-on research projects for female sophomore CS students.

Watch Christine Alvarado's Google Tech Talk video on YouTube.

Source:

Alvarado, C. (2011, March 8). Women in CS @ HMC: Three Promising Practices. Retrieved from Google TechTalk: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HF_Gkxqf158&lr=1&uid=t84aUC9OG6di8kSdKzEHTQ


When pre and post survey responses were compared, both girls and boys in grades 2-5 were significantly more likely to agree that they would enjoy being an engineer after completing an "Engineering is Elementary (EiE)" unit in their classroom. A significant number of 7,000 girls and boys also demonstrated a broadening of their understanding of technology after using EiE materials when compared to a control group.

Download the executive summary from the Boston Museum of Science website.

Source:

Cunningham, C. M., & Lachapelle, C. P. (2012). Research and Evaluation Results for the Engineering is Elementary Project: An Executive Summary of the First Eight Years. Boston, MA: Museum of Science. Retrieved from http://www.mos.org/eie/pdf/research/EiE_Executive_Summary_Jan2012.pdf