Field theory in computer science course: 
- The course consists of specifically positioned students who are all at different stages in their degree (freshman, sophomore, junior, senior) and also all have  different computer skills, interests or experience. 
- It also consists of an instructor who is adjunct, tenure-track or tenured with different racial and gendered characteristics. 
- The students and instructor are interacting within a social field that is a part of the larger field of the university’s computer science department. 
- The departmental field consists of faculty members and undergraduate and graduate students who are enrolled in computer science degree programs. 
- The departmental field is a part of the institutions larger STEM field, which is a part of the university field. 
- The university field  consists of all the other departments that the university offers, so schools, administrative divisions and the institution's students faculty and staff (the information above is all shown in figure 1). 
- Another way of looking at the computer science departmental field is that it is a part of a wider field environment consisting of more cultural and media representations of computer science, causing it to have more cultural representations of STEM culture. (figure 2)

Field Theory: Gender and Belonging in Undergraduate Computer Science 

Field theory: 
- This is a framework that is used to understand human behavior in social and individual settings. 
- A "field" is a structured set of positions (roles in social and cultural hierarchies), where individuals are connected with each other by similar resources. 
- A person can be in multiple fields at the same time, for example an university field and a bowling league field. This person has a different role/ position in each of these fields. 

Wayne State University

- This study applied a field theory that helps understand how social interactions and positions can influence the student feelings of belonging and motivation. 
- This study used a comparative case study to apply the field theory and the theory of belonging by using multiple cases based on multiple data sources. 
- Sampling strategy was used to find two gateway courses at two different universities. 
- Data collection: 90 minute semi-structured interviews. One instructor interview, focus group interviews with students and two classroom observations. The questions were about teaching and learning, the climate in the classroom and student persistence and belonging.  


Method: Gender and Belonging in Undergraduate Computer Science 

Benbow, R. J., & Vivyan, E. (2016). Gender and Belonging in Undergraduate Computer Science: A Comparative Case Study of Student Experiences in Gateway Courses (WCER Working Paper No. 2016-2). Retrieved from University of Wisconsin–Madison, Wisconsin Center for Education Research website: http://www.wcer.wisc.edu/publications/working-papers

Gender and Belonging in Undergraduate Computer Science: A Comparative Case Study of Student Experiences in Gateway Courses

Theoretical frameworks: Field Theory - Gender and Belonging in Undergraduate Computer Science 

Theory of belonging: 
- "Belonging" means the need to form and maintain at least one meaningful, lasting, positive and significant interpersonal relationship. 
- Belonging is a motivator to human action, as well as the need to sustain psychological and physical well-being. 
- If students feel they don't belong in a specific field they might leave that major, because they prefer environments with meaningful lasting relationships that can be more fulfilling. This is also called social fit. 
- So, if a student feels like they belong in computer science, this can predict if they will persist in computer science. 
- Theory of belonging enhances field theory by also giving an insight on identity-related issues and their impact on educational contexts.  

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