This document describes the evolution of a data structures class to promote inclusive success. The class implemented team-based learning, flipped classroom, and active learning approaches. Design decisions included structuring social interactions, a stepping stone mentorship model, transparency of information, and reducing bias in grading. Results were improved performance overall, especially for women, though performance was still lower for racial/ethnic minority students. Friendship formation increased over time and students enjoyed working in teams. Future work aims to better support racial/ethnic minority students and analyze the impact of each design decision.

1. Evolving a Data-Structures Class
Toward Inclusive Success
Celine Latulipe, Stephen MacNeil, Brian Thompson
FIE 2018 SAN JOSE, CA, USA
OCTOBER 4, 2018

2. Weed-out classes
Gateway courses
“Grave by curve”
Data Structures
and Algorithms

3. Diversity in Preparedness, A Systematic Filter

4. Our Classroom Experience
Fully flipped, team-based, active
learning classroom.
Third applied programming class
in the curriculum.
4 semesters of data, no control
course used for comparison.
Topics
Collections, Arrays vs. ArrayLists, Efficiency
Stacks, ArrayStack, Efficiency
Linear Search, Comparable Interface, Sorting
Queues and Lists
Recursion, QuickSort and MergeSort
Trees, Binary Search Trees
Heaps, HeapSort
Graphs
Hashs
Algorithm Strategies

5. Classroom Demographics
Group Fall 2016 Spring 2017 Fall 2017 Spring 2018
Everyone 88 51 124 74
Women 20 6 12 9
Racial/Ethnic Minority 20 12 17 12
Both a Woman and
Racial/Ethnic Minority
4 1 1 2

6. Our Design Decisions for Inclusive Success
Classroom Structure and Social Interactions Stepping Stone Model of Mentorship
Information Transparency Reducing Human Bias in Grading

7. Classroom Structure and Social Interactions

8. Stepping Stone Model of Mentorship
Brian!

9. Information Transparency

10. Reducing Human Bias in Grading
Student Overview
Automated Hints
TA Feedback

11. Positive impressions of team-based learning

12. Friendship as a metric of inclusion

13. Friendship as a metric of inclusion
Women
Men

14. Good performance for men and women

15. Good performance was not seen to the same
extent for students in racial/ethnic minority

16. DFW Rates
Group Fall 2016 Spring 2017 Fall 2017 Spring 2018
Overall 27% (24/88) 24% (12/51) 13% (16/124) Estimate 17% (n=74)
Women 10% (2/20) 17% (1/6) 0% (0/12) Estimate 16% (n=9)
Racial/Ethnic Minority 25% (5/20) 50% (6/12) 18% (3/17) Estimate 17% (n=12)
Both a Woman and
Racial/Ethnic Minority
0% (0/4) 100% (1/1) 0% (0/1) Estimate 50% (n=2)
The percentages indicate the number of students receiving D, F, or W

17. Instances of Classroom Engagement Online
Anyways I love you all and I hope you have a blessed day.
Regardless unless I figure it out to be a human(me)-error,
I’m gonna keep it and hope my TAs bless me with
Hey everyone! I just finished debugging my silly
test cases (on my birthday no less)

18. Future Work
Analyze the effect of each individual design decision.
Apply qualitative methods such as interviews and reflections to understand
intersectional experiences within our course.
Students in racial/ethnic minority didn’t perform as well. How can our course better
support these students.
Attempt to understand the nature of friendships that are forming within our class.

19. An overview of our approach and findings
Social interaction
and classroom
Stepping Stone
Model of Mentorship
Information
Transparency
Reducing Human
Bias in Grading
Friendship as a metric. Friendship
improved over time. Students enjoyed
working in groups.
Grades improved, especially for
women. Still need to improve for
students in a racial minority.
Classroom engagement goes outside
the class in forums and help sessions.
Design Decisions Results
Celine Latulipe, Stephen MacNeil, Brian Thompson - {clatulip, smacnei2, bthomp57}@uncc.edu