3C: Cultural Competence in Computing

Cultural Competence in Computing (3C) Survey

The Cultural Competence in Computing (3C) Survey is designed to help universities and companies measure the cultural competence of students, faculty, and staff. We've streamlined the process to allow for smoother/quicker distribution of the assessment (in pre/post format).

About Cultural Competence

Cultural competence was first defined in social work in 1989, as graduates must effectively communicate and work with clients from various identities (e.g., race, ethnicity, gender, class, sexuality, and ability), especially vulnerable populations. It quickly expanded into education and healthcare, for the same reasons. While computing graduates may not work directly with vulnerable populations, there is plenty of evidence that shows how the technologies created impact vulnerable populations in ways that can be just as problematic. In addition, tech companies have long faced serious problems due to a lack of equity and inclusion (which directly impact diversity) in computing environments.

For this reason, it was important to not only teach about these topics in computing, but also find a way to accurately measure it as a means for improving both these environments and the technologies they produce.

Interested in Using the 3C Survey?

The survey takes approximately 5-7 minutes to complete and can be used for establishing baseline scoring. However, it is best used for pre/post-surveys and control groups for longitudinal studies.

To begin distributing the survey to students and/or faculty/staff: Complete this form noting your contact information (where deidentified, aggregate results will be sent following the end of semester. You will then be emailed the recruitment text to send participants to review the appropriate consent forms (faculty/staff or student) and begin the survey.

FAQ

Review the Survey FAQ for answers to a number of questions about the 3C Survey.

Relevant Publications
  • Washington. A.N., Romanova, P., Grady, S., and Burge, L. (June, 2023), "On Measuring Cultural Competence: Instrument Design and Testing," presented at 2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Baltimore , Maryland. https://peer.asee.org/43762.
  • Washington. A.N. "When Twice As Good Isn't Enough: The Case for Cultural Competence in Computing," SIGCSE '20: Proceedings of the 51st ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education, February 2020, Pages 213–219. https://doi.org/10.1145/3328778.3366792.