Stuck in the Shallow End: Education, Race, and Computing by Jane Margolis et al. (updated edition, ISBN 9780262533461).
Essay Format
As you read the first few chapters of Stuck in the Shallow End, you may have noticed some stories or some points that relate to your own experience or experiences of others you have known. And you may not have! As you prepare to visit schools in Chicago, you will want to think about how the themes from your life and from the book connect to what you see. Based on your reading assignment, choose some of the discussion questions from the book to respond to, based on the following guidelines:
Chapter 4
- How does Canyon High operate as “two schools under one roof?” What does it mean to have a segregated, “integrated school?”
- What is the notion of preparatory privilege and how does it operate in computer science education? How is it connected to the notion of natural aptitude?
- What is the effect of a “chilly classroom climate” on learning computer science for girls and students of color?
- Who are the key gatekeepers to studying computer science at this school? What role does each play?
- How do underrepresented students navigate the computing pipeline at Canyon High? What decisions or strategies do they use to engage (or not) with computing classes?
Page format
- 1-2 pages, 12-pt font, double spaced, 1 in margins.
- Clearly indicate which discussion questions you are responding to: “Chapter 1, question 2” or “Question 1.2” are the same.
- You may cite outside sources, and if you do so please use MLA format. There is a helpful citation generator if you are not familiar with the format.
- Please upload your essay in a format that allows some kind of commenting (Word, TEX,)