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Rethinking Student Needs

Gender & IT Education. Rethinking Student Needs. How International and U.S. Women Students in IT Educational Programs Compare Christine Ogan and Debbie Goh. Gender and IT Education Conference, Indiana University, 2007. Methodology.

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Rethinking Student Needs

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  1. Gender & IT Education Rethinking Student Needs How International and U.S. Women Students in IT Educational Programs Compare Christine Ogan and Debbie Goh Gender and IT Education Conference, Indiana University, 2007 Gender and IT Education Conference, Indiana University, 2007

  2. Methodology • Used web-based survey and data from the face-to-face interviews • Focused on European and Asian students • 63 Europeans and 253 Asians--self identified as being raised in a country in the region. • Of Asians, 91 were women. Gender and IT Education Conference, Indiana University, 2007

  3. Little Attention in Literature • Little data on conditions for women in IT fields in other countries • Also little data on how they fare in U.S. academic programs • CS students’ numbers kept by IIE • Margolis/Fisher found international women CS students persist because they privilege hard work over ability. • Cohoon published rare article on international and U.S. women in CS • Found international women looking for high salary, prestigious job and team work opportunity. Also like competitive academic environment. • U.S. women interested in geographic location. Gender and IT Education Conference, Indiana University, 2007

  4. Does Gender Equality Exist at Home? • Still face discrimination in many countries • Women make up 21% of workforce in India in 2007. • Women in India limited in job placement because of household responsibilities. • 35% of high-level IT jobs in S. Korea go to women. • China has larger percentage of women in IT workforce--but no numbers available • Hafkin says little data collection on this issue internationally. Gender and IT Education Conference, Indiana University, 2007

  5. Overall Conditions for International Students • U.S. and international students report similar number of close friends and feelings of belonging in programs. • International students value friends/belonging more highly. • 27% vs. 56% of Europeans and 46% of Asians. • Belonging can come from finding others from home. • That might lead to perception of bias by other students. • Also causes U.S. students to feel excluded. Gender and IT Education Conference, Indiana University, 2007

  6. Climate Issues • Strong or somewhat strong Support for other ethnic minorities? • 49.2% of Americans say yes • 36.8% of Europeans say yes • 30.9% of Asians say yes Unit support for Asian-Americans? 44.6% of Americans say yes 28.5% of Asians say yes In interviews, some American students expressed concern for programs that favored particular groups. Gender and IT Education Conference, Indiana University, 2007

  7. Other Differences • International women learn computing even later in life than U.S. women • More U.S. women interested in “helping others” than international women. • Similar feelings about personal computer competence/comfort • U.S. women lowest of three groups in expressing computing ability compared with others and overall ease of learning. • Half of Europeans and more than half of Asians say they get good grades in programming--only 45% of American women said that. Gender and IT Education Conference, Indiana University, 2007

  8. Asian-U.S. Women Differences • Earlier decision to major in an IT field by Asian women. • Fewer Asian women than U.S. women played computer games as children. • More Asian women plan to enter academia in this survey. • Interview data show Asian women have difficulty adjusting to U.S. academic culture. • Working in teams helps Asian women adjust to new culture earlier while U.S. women understand they have it easier in this regard. Gender and IT Education Conference, Indiana University, 2007

  9. How to Manage the Differences • Organizations designed to address women’s needs help both U.S. and international women--even if needs are different. • Care must be taken to avoid perception of unfairness to some and privilege to others. • Assumption that all women suffer from the same problems related to computer efficacy warrants examination. Gender and IT Education Conference, Indiana University, 2007

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