Date of Award

2026-08-01

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Department

Teaching, Learning and Culture

Advisor(s)

Pei-Ling P. Hsu

Abstract

The rapid growth of computing technologies and artificial intelligence has transformed computing into a highly promising field characterized by high demand, economic opportunity, and social mobility. Despite these advancements, Latinas remain severely underrepresented in both computing degree attainment and the professional computing workforce. This underrepresentation is further compounded by a corresponding scarcity of research that centers Latinas' voices across the computing pipeline or explores their educational trajectories. By employing Strauss and Corbin's systematic Grounded Theory approach, this study conducted semi-structured interviews with 13 Latina computer science majors regarding their educational trajectories and pursued the central research question of what the process of becoming a Latina computer scientist entails. The dissertation was organized around three interlocking papers. Drawing on in-depth interviews, the first paper constructed a grounded model of Latinas' K-12 computing trajectories, conceptualizing the central phenomenon as a developmental process moving from initial exposure to subsequent participation and ultimately postsecondary readiness. The second paper extended this model into higher education, tracing a sequential process spanning the decision to pursue the major, exploration within the field, and the development of professional readiness. The third paper synthesized 38 empirical and theoretical works published between 2011 and 2025 to provide a panoramic view of Latinas across the computing pipeline. The findings together revealed that Latinas' computing trajectories were longitudinal, multi-layered processes shaped by an evolving interplay of structural conditions, relational influences, and individual agency. Rather than being passive recipients of educational structures, Latinas were active agents who strategically mobilized their community cultural wealth to navigate barriers and persisted in computing. By offering a coherent and multi-stage explanatory framework grounded in Latinas' own accounts, this study made theoretical and methodological contributions to the field of computing education and carried important implications for educators, policymakers, and institutional leaders committed to creating more equitable and inclusive pathways in computing, particularly by highlighting the need to expand early computing exposure, strengthen institutional support structures, and foster more inclusive learning environments.

Language

en

Provenance

Received from ProQuest

File Size

229 p.

File Format

application/pdf

Rights Holder

Xuemei Wang

Download

Included in

Education Commons

Share

COinS