The Impact of Community on Professional Identity in Computer Science Education

Authors

• Ian A. Kollipara, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow

First Advisor

Leen-Kiat Soh

Committee Members

Heidi Diefes-Dux, Stephen Scott, Stephen Cooper

Date of this Version

5-2026

Document Type

Thesis

Citation

A thesis presented to the faculty of the Graduate College at the University of Nebraska in partial fulfillment of requirements for the degree of Master of Science

Major: Computer Science

Under the supervision of Professor Leen-Kiat Soh

Lincoln, Nebraska, May 2026

Comments

Copyright 2026, Ian A. Kollipara. Used by permission

Abstract

This thesis explores the application of Communities of Practice (CoPs) in Computer Science Education. The work consists of two qualitative studies examining related but distinct populations: (1) K–12 CS teachers and (2) undergraduate CS students. The first study presents a retrospective analysis of conneCTION, an online CoP for K–12 CS educators, identifying strengths, weaknesses, and design considerations that inform future platform development. The second study investigates how participation in a CoP can mitigate negative and exclusionary stereotypes in CS. This study was conducted in an under-explored context: a small, private, religious, Midwestern university, and examines an existing community, the Programming Team. Findings from both studies suggest that CoPs can help counter negative stereotypes and support participants’ professional identity development. In addition, the studies identify several practical lessons related to establishing and sustaining CoPs across different environments (e.g., online, learning community) particularly with regard to recruitment and participation. Taken together, these results suggest that CoPs are a promising structure for supporting participants in CS education, especially in addressing persistent challenges such as exclusionary stereotypes and low self-efficacy. Future work should further validate these findings across broader institutional and educational contexts.

Advisor: Leen-Kiat Soh