Karl Wurst
Worcester State University, MA·Education Research
Millions of computing jobs go unfilled each year, and many groups remain underrepresented in computer science. One proven way to attract and keep a wider range of students is to show how computing benefits society.
- Fields
Education Research
Computer Science
- Topics
computing education
computer science education
broadening participation in computing
- Grants
- 1 known grant, last ended Sep 2026
What they work on
- Engage undergraduates at five partner institutions in Humanitarian Free and Open Source Software development, using instructor-led projects, classroom HFOSS kits and Client Oriented-FOSS projects with local nonprofits.
- Study how Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning and communities of practice affect students' computing learning and early professional skills in HFOSS-based courses.
- Investigate how instructor and student roles and identities change with the shift to active learning, and measure effects on student engagement, retention and diversity in computing.
More about the research
This project, a collaboration among Drexel University, Nassau Community College, Western New England University, Worcester State and Dickinson College, uses Humanitarian Free and Open Source Software (HFOSS). HFOSS is a Habitat for Humanity–style approach in which students help build free software for communities, such as tools for disaster management, education, economic development and public health.
Why it matters
Expanding and diversifying the computing workforce depends on drawing more students, especially from underrepresented groups, into computer science and keeping them there. Evidence on whether socially meaningful open source projects and guided inquiry improve engagement, learning and retention could help colleges redesign computing courses. Nonprofits may also gain useful free software.
Known grants
From NIH and NSF research grants. Labs often have other funding we can't see.
Closest labs
Emily Lovell
University of California-Santa Cruz, CA·Education Research
Expose HBCU computer science students who have completed foundational coursework to open source career pathways through paid summer contributions to real-world open source software projects matched to their interests.
Carla Brodley
Northeastern University, MA·Education Research
Test whether a placement assessment plus one-credit supplemental courses can reduce credit loss for community college transfer students entering computer science majors, in a pilot at three universities.
Anita Sarma
Oregon State University, OR·Computer Science
Identify the needs and expectations of students and instructors for a chatbot that supports open source software contribution, using participatory design.
The school
Worcester State University: 1 labs on PI Pages.
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