Gender and Computing

Joanne McGrath Cohoon

Why Few Females Pursue Computing

Evidence on factors affecting women’s recruitment and retention

PART 1

Reasons few women pursue computing

Lack of information/misconceptionsEducational policies allow choices influenced by stereotypes Stereotypes reduce confidence and interestLittle support

and encouragement

I don’t wanna sit in front of a computer

all day- Carter 2006

Lack of Information and Misconceptions

• Computer science is what? Programming? Excel, Word?

• Few students, parents, or teachers know what computer scientists do

• Too many sources misinform and reinforce stereotypes

• Men chose for games• Women chose for use of the skills

Policies Allow Stereotype-Based Choice

Carter 2006

Charles & Bradley 2006

Too Little Support & Encouragement

• Peers and authorities • You’re studying what?

• Women need to explain their choice of CS

…but men don’t»- Cohoon 2006

• Isolation• Feeling like you do not belong»- Kissinger et al. 2009

Stereotypes Reduce Confidence and Interest

• Cultural belief: Disconnect between “feminine” and “technical”

- Lagesen 2005

• Stereotype threat: Fear of confirming negative beliefs about my group• Hinders performance• Affects choices and aspirations

• Leads to harsh personal standards, opting out if not met

• Inhibits feelings of fit- Correll 2004

• Stereotype threat: Fear of confirming negative beliefs about my group• Hinders performance• Affects choices and aspirations

• Leads to harsh personal standards, opting out if not met

• Inhibits feelings of fit- Correll 2004

Stereotypes are good and bad

• Valuable mental shortcuts for generalizing knowledge to other situations

• May lead to mistakes - miscategorization African

Americans

Common Mistaken Stereotype: Feminine ≠Technical Lagesen 2005

• Stereotype threat• Fear of confirming negative beliefs about my group

• Hinders performance• Affects choices and aspirations

• Leads to harsh personal standards, opting out if not met

» - Correll 2004

• Stereotype threat• Fear of confirming negative beliefs about my group

• Hinders performance• Affects choices and aspirations

• Leads to harsh personal standards, opting out if not met

» - Correll 2004

Stereotypes can create threatening situations

Not just about gender, e.g., age stereotypes reduce memory effectiveness - Chasteen et al. 2005

Stereotype Threat masks ability and reduces learning and persistence• Remove threat and Anglo women test better- Good et al. 2008

• Note-taking skill reduced by stereotype threat (ST)- Appel et al. 2011

• Feelings of belonging impaired by ST- Good et al. 2012

Good, Aronson, Harder, 2008

Calculus Test Results

ST is easy to trigger and particularly affects motivated students

• Gender imbalance in room

• Stereotyped physical space

• Attention called to gender

• Belief that ability is inherent

Interventions that work

• Invoke positive stereotypes

• Increase feelings of belonging

• Build confidence

Invoke positive stereotypes or personal characteristics

– McGlone & Aronson 2006

Increase feelings of belonging and computing professional identity

• Foster belief in growth of intellect

• - Good, Rattan, Dweck 2012

• Provide intentional role models

• - Marx et al. 2005

Create community- Marx et al. 2005

Build Confidence

•• Mastery experiences• Role models• Verbal persuasion - Bandura

Conclusion

• Teachers can create an environment that fosters ability, learning, and persistence

Computing is a Crucial High School Course

NCWIT ResourceBy

J. McGrath Cohoon

PART 2

Computing offers great careers It’s where the jobs are We’re preparing too few students

Take-aways

• Computer science studies computers and problem-solving processes, including their • Principles• Designs• Applications• Impact

CS & IT are about creation and problem solving, not use

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IT is pervasive

IT is a driver of the U.S. and global economy

IT is a critical tool of national security

IT drives science and technology

IT is changing the economic and social foundations of our society

information technology1: all forms of technology used to create, store, exchange

and use information in its various forms

2: the design and use of computers and communications to improve the way we live, learn, work, and play

Computing shapes the world we live in

Walter Bender, “Program or Be Programmed” TED Talk

1. Software Engineer2. Mathematician3. Actuary4. Statistician5. Computer Systems Analyst

• According to CareerCast

Best Jobs in America 2011

Three of the top ten occupations are computing

•Systems Engineer

•IT Project Manager

•Network Security Consultant

•Manage large complex projects

•Plan, organize, and oversee the team on a computing project

•Protect important computer systems from infiltration

Source: CNNMoney.com, Best Jobs in America, 2011

Computing offers exciting work that affects our world and the people in it

Create technology for

•Tracking endangered dolphins

•Mobile forensics labs for

instant analysis at crime scenes

•GPS systems that guide blind

people

•Scanning DNA for childhood

diseases

•Designing and displaying new

fashions

•Restoring and preserving art

work

Source: dotdiva.org

COMPUTER SCIENTISTS GIVE BACK TO THEIR COMMUNITIES

Technology for human rights•Design secure databases to record human rights abuses while shielding the identities of victims or witnesses

•Create tools that help ordinary people collect extraordinary amounts of money for important causes

Computer Scientists work in every industry

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Source: dotdiva.org

Computing occupations are well paid

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)

Excellent Job Opportunity Expected

Source: BLS Occupational Employment Projections to 2020

Computing Offers More Jobs than other Sci & Engineering Fields

Employment in Major Occupational Groups Projected for 2020, in thousands

Source: BLS – Employment Projections to 2020

BLS Projected 2020 Occupational employment for jobs requiring college degree only

CS

30% of jobs for college grads will be in computing

Too few graduates to meet predicted demand in 2020

Degrees = 2011, from IPEDS Completion dataBLS Data on 2020 projected job openings for largest computing occupations

We could more than double graduates if CS drew from the majority

Now that you know

Data on computing careersHow diversity can help meet workforce needs

Work to offer high quality, inclusive CS in high school!

NCWIT is the National Center for Women & Information Technology

Our coalition includes more than 250 universities, corporations, and non-profits.

Mobilizing for Change: NCWIT

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Join the C4C campaign by contacting

Jane Krauss jkrauss@ncwit.org

Visit NCWIT www.ncwit.org/c4c