At the time of data collection in Fall 2024, our Online Master of Science in Computer Science program in the College of Computing at Georgia Tech had its largest applicant pool to date. Leveraging this large sample, we surveyed all 6,247 applicants to understand their motivations for applying to our program. This paper focuses specifically on the open-ended responses from female applicants, with the goal of informing outreach and recruitment strategies that support greater female inclusion in computer science graduate education. The analysis of open-ended responses revealed insights into the importance of career advancement, social networks, and the program's courses as motivations for female applicants.

Growing demand for online education in recent years has had a profound impact on how academic institutions educate students, resulting in a massive increase in online at-scale curricula. As on campus higher education students interact with online content, there is a need to examine how such students have adjusted in response. In this research, we investigate the impact of integrating online at-scale content into more traditional educational environments through two studies examining the learner's perspective. In the first study, we surveyed 22 undergraduate and graduate students who were enrolled in a course that leveraged online at-scale content in the course's delivery. In the second study, we conducted interviews with 17 undergraduate and graduate students in similar situations for a more in-depth understanding of their experiences. From these two studies, we then discuss key themes, including both benefits and drawbacks of these environments, that students derived from their course experiences.

Seminars change the landscape of Computer Science education by allowing for a non-traditional space of learning that employs synchronicity, community, and joyful engagement. This paper will discuss the benefits of seminars that are one-credit, pass/fail, and do not count toward graduation, in the Online Master of Science in Computer Science (OMSCS) program at Georgia Tech. Since these seminars are on a pass/fail grading scale and do not count towards graduation, they produce a low-stress environment of learning that allows students to focus on the joy of learning rather than commodified learning focused on assignment production and grades. These seminars are also more flexible than traditional three-credit courses and employ a wide range of pedagogical frameworks. Furthermore, they also address the most significant drawback to online at-scale education: a lack of sense of community. Many of the seminars are participation based and thus encourages community building with scheduled synchronously biweekly meeting and/or asynchronous engagement.

We examine trends in the Learning at Scale conference from 2014 through 2021. We use an original coding scheme to classify all 142 full papers from five angles: setting, approach, pedagogical strategy, population of interest, and dependent variable. We observe a decline of research on MOOCs, an increase in number of settings studied over time, and a consistent focus on assessment strategies. We then examine other conferences to which Learning at Scale authors contribute research. This paper contributes an original coding scheme to classify future Learning at Scale papers; an analysis of the research focuses at Learning at Scale over time; and an evaluation of the mutual influence between Learning at Scale and other venues. These latter two contributions contextualize learning at scale research within Learning at Scale and the broader research community to show how the field has evolved and to help predict its future directions.

Proponents of at-scale education initiatives often tout the benefits of these programs to the students who enroll in them, but anecdotally, faculty who participate in creating at-scale courses have often commented on how their participation positively impacted their subsequent in-person teaching. In this study, we investigate this potential phenomenon more thoroughly to assess how generalizable this perspective is among participants in these initiatives. We conduct three studies: we interview 78 faculty teaching in at-scale degree programs, examine offering histories for 70 courses offered in one such program, and survey 153 faculty who have developed massive open online courses. Based on these three studies, we propose a list of ways in which in-person instruction benefits from the existence of at-scale teaching initiatives. We further discuss remaining perceived drawbacks of at-scale education as derived from these interviews and surveys.

Using a Computer Science affordable degree at scale as a case study, the context of this paper explores the ways in which student life initiatives can humanize the at scale and online distance learning student experience through a holistic and student care-centric approach. By analyzing the top ten student life initiatives featured in an online at scale computer science program, we highlight ways to ensure belonging, facilitate engagement, and create community at scale while tackling inherent problems of online distance learning such as isolation and social disconnectedness.