skip to main content
article
Free Access

A psychological perspective on gender differences in computing participation

Authors Info & Claims
Published:12 March 1994Publication History
Skip Abstract Section

Abstract

Any observant teacher of computer science at secondary or post-secondary level in an English-speaking country has probably noticed that there are considerably more boys than girls in the class. Many are concerned that there are able girls who would enjoy the challenge of a computing career who are choosing not to study computer science, students who may be more capable than many of the boys selecting these studies. The aim of this paper is to look at some of the factors which may influences the students' decisions to study computer science: the nature of the workforce, the prevalence of male and female role models, stereotyping of computing careers, culturally specific factors, perceived gender differences in ability, attitudes to computing, the organization of computing classes, approaches to assessment, and mentoring.

References

  1. Borresen, C. R. (1990). Success in introductory statistics with small groups. College Teaching, 38(1) 128-133.Google ScholarGoogle ScholarCross RefCross Ref
  2. Caner, R. (1993). Electronics education for women: evolving new approaches. Presentation at the Seventh GASAT Conference . University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada: 31 July - 5 August.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  3. Castles, I. (1989). Year Book Australia, 1989. Canberra: Australian Government Printer.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  4. Chambers, S. M., & Clarke, V. A. (1987). Is inequity cumulative? The relationship between disadvantaged group membership and students' computing experience, knowledge, attitudes and intentions. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 3(4) 495- 517.Google ScholarGoogle ScholarCross RefCross Ref
  5. Chert, M. (1986). Gender and computers: The beneficial effects of experience and attitudes. Presentation at the annual meeting of Annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, San Francisco, April.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  6. Clarke, V. A. (1985). Computing in a social context. In K. Duncan & D. Harris (Eds.), Computers in education: Proceedings of the IFIP 4th Worm Conference on Computers in Education, (pp. 833- 838). Amsterdam: North Holland: Elsevier.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  7. Clarke, V. A., & Chambers, S. M. (1989). Gender-based factors in computing enrollments and achievements: Evidence from a study of tertiary students. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 5 409-429.Google ScholarGoogle ScholarCross RefCross Ref
  8. Clarke, V. A., & Teague, G. J. (1993). Have you considered computing? Correcting inaccurate perceptions of computing careers. Submitted for publication.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  9. Clarke, V. A., & 'league, G. J. (1994). Encouraging girls to study computer science - should we even try? Australian Educational Coraputing, In Press.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  10. Department of Employment, Education and Training, Economic and Policy Analysis Division, (1990). Education and Training Needs of Computing Professionals and Para-professionals in Australia. Canberra: Australian Government Publishing Service.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  11. Eagly, A. H. (1987). Sex differences in social behavior. A socialrole interpretation. HUlsdale, NJ: Lawrence Williams Associates.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  12. Feingold, A. (1988). Cognitive gender differences are disappearing. American Psychologist, 43 95-103.Google ScholarGoogle ScholarCross RefCross Ref
  13. Fennema, E. (1983). Success in mathematics. In M. Marland (Ed.), Sex differentiation and schooling London: Heinmann Educational Books.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  14. Frenkel, K. A. (1990). Women and computing. Communications of the ACM, 11(11) 34-46. Google ScholarGoogle ScholarDigital LibraryDigital Library
  15. HaIL R. M., & Sandier, B. R. (1982). The Classroom Climate: A Chilly One for Women? Washington, D. C.: Project on the Status and Education of Women, Association of American Colleges.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  16. Hanchey, C, M. (1993). Labs, learning styles, and gender. In The magic of technology: Proceedings of NECC '93, (pp. 255-258). Orlando, Florida: National Educational Computing Conference.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  17. Hattie, J., & Fitzgerald, D. (1987). Sex differences in attitudes, achievement and use of computers. Australian Journal of Education, 31(1) 3-26.Google ScholarGoogle ScholarCross RefCross Ref
  18. Hyde, J. (1981). How large are cognitive gender differences? A meta-analysis using w2 and d. American Psychologist, 36 3-26.Google ScholarGoogle ScholarCross RefCross Ref
  19. Jones, T., & Clarke, V. A. (1993). Girls and computers: An assessment of the advantage of single-sex settings. Presentation at Networking in the 90's. The 2rid Women in Computing Conference, Melbourne, July.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  20. Linn, M. C., & Hyde, J. (1989). Gender, mathematics and science. Educational Researcher, 18 (17-19) 22-27.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  21. Lovegrove, G., & Hall, W. (1991). Where are the girls now? In G. Lovegrove & B. Segal (Eds.), Women into Computing (pp. 33-45). London: Springer-Verlag. Google ScholarGoogle ScholarDigital LibraryDigital Library
  22. Maceoby, E. E., & Jacklin, C. N. (1974). The psychology of sex differences. Stanford: Stanford University Press.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  23. Paay, J., Gibson, R., & Hartnett, J. (1993). Not (the power of one): Building networks with a mentor scheme. In Networking in the 90"s: Proceedings of the 2nd Women in Computing Conference, (pp. 60-69). Melbourne: Victoria University of Technology.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  24. Parker, L. H., & Rermie, L. J. (1993). Towards gender-fair assessment in science 1" The process of the research. In S. Haggerty & A. Holmes (Eds.), Transforming Science and Technology: Our Future Depends On It. Contributions to the Seventh GASAT Conference, 2 (pp. 1010-1019). University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  25. Reilly, B,, & Morton, M. (1991). Performance in a nationwide mathematics examination at tertiary entrance level. In L. J. Rennie, L. H. Parker, & G. M. Hildebrand (Eds.), Action for Equity: The Second Decade Contributions to the Sixth International GASAT Conference, 1 (pp. 301-309). Melbourne: Key Centre for Teaching and Research in School Science and Mathematics.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  26. Ruffin, C., & Clarke, V. (1992). Sex role messages and the computing media. Presentation at the Twenty.first Meeting of Australian Social Psychologists,Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  27. Salvano, S. (1993). Non-traditional occupations- 20 years progress? In Networking in the 90's: Proceedings of the 2nd Women in Computing Conference, (pp. 3-8). Melbourne: Victoria University of Technology.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  28. Sampson, S. N. (1991). Progress of women in employment in science related areas of work: the Australian picture. Presentation at Action for Equity: the Second Decade. Contributions to the Sixth International GASAT Conference, Melbourne, 14-19 July.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  29. Saunders, J., & McGinnis, M. (1989, February, date unknown). Letter to the editor. Encouragement needed, international Herald Tribune.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  30. Taylor, C. (1992). Contained in a meeting agenda for the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Board, Information Technology Field of Study, Melbourne, July.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  31. Teague, G. J., & Clarke, V. A. (1991). Fiction and fact: Students' and professionals' perceptions of women in computer science. In I. V. Ericksson, B. A. Kitchenham, & K. G. Tijdens (Eds.), Women, Work and Computerization: Understanding and Overcoming Bias in Work and Education (pp. 363-375). Amsterdam: North- Holland.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  32. Teague, G. J., & Clarke, V. A. (1993a). Attracting women to tertiary computing courses. SIGCSE Bulletin, 25(1) 208-212. Google ScholarGoogle ScholarDigital LibraryDigital Library
  33. Teague, G. J., & Clarke, V. A. (1993b). Choosing a career: why are girls not attracted to computing? Presentation at Networking for the 90's: The 2nd Women in Computing Conference, Melbourne, July.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  34. Tijdem, K. (1991). Women in EDP departments. In I. V. Eriksson, B. A. Kitchertham, & K. G. Tijdens (Eds.), Women, Work and Computerization: Understanding and Overcoming Bias in Work and Education (pp. 377-390). Amsterdam: North-Holland.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  35. Tidwell, J. (1990). Hackers in the Garden: A Case Study of Women in Computer Engineering. MIT: unpublished.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  36. U.S. Department of Education (1993). Statistics from the Office of Educational Research and Improvement, National Center for Educattonal Statistics, Washington, D.C.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  37. Ware, M. C., & Stuck, M. F. (1985). Sex-role messages vis-a-vis microcomputer use: A look at the pictures. Sex Roles, 13 205-231.Google ScholarGoogle ScholarCross RefCross Ref
  38. Williams, R. E. (1989, February, date unknown.). Letter to the editor. Pioneer programmers. International Herald Tribune.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar

Index Terms

  1. A psychological perspective on gender differences in computing participation

      Recommendations

      Comments

      Login options

      Check if you have access through your login credentials or your institution to get full access on this article.

      Sign in

      Full Access

      • Published in

        cover image ACM SIGCSE Bulletin
        ACM SIGCSE Bulletin  Volume 26, Issue 1
        March 1994
        410 pages
        ISSN:0097-8418
        DOI:10.1145/191033
        Issue’s Table of Contents
        • cover image ACM Conferences
          SIGCSE '94: Proceedings of the twenty-fifth SIGCSE symposium on Computer science education
          March 1994
          414 pages
          ISBN:0897916468
          DOI:10.1145/191029

        Copyright © 1994 ACM

        Publisher

        Association for Computing Machinery

        New York, NY, United States

        Publication History

        • Published: 12 March 1994

        Check for updates

        Qualifiers

        • article

      PDF Format

      View or Download as a PDF file.

      PDF

      eReader

      View online with eReader.

      eReader
      About Cookies On This Site

      We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website.

      Learn more

      Got it!