1 / 16

Introductory Programming

Introductory Programming. Bridging the Gender Gap?. Background. Wilder, Mackie, and Cooper on Princeton students: Gender differences remain even in selective groups Self-fulfilling prophecy: Turns stereotype into reality Cooper: Females ask males for help in male-oriented subjects.

kyla-stanley
Download Presentation

Introductory Programming

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Introductory Programming Bridging the Gender Gap?

  2. Background • Wilder, Mackie, and Cooper on Princeton students: Gender differences remain even in selective groups • Self-fulfilling prophecy: Turns stereotype into reality • Cooper: Females ask males for help in male-oriented subjects

  3. Background cont. • The effect of previous computer experience: Reduces gender differences • Duke University study: iPods improve academic work and make students more engaged in class. • What about the effect of iPods on computer comfort?

  4. Problem • Discovering if the self-fulfilling prophecy is at work in introductory computer programming classes at Princeton • Finding gender differences in giving and receiving help in these classes • Finding if the use of mp3 players lessens the gender differences in these classes

  5. Hypotheses • Females seek more help overall than males • Females and males are more likely to ask male peers for help than female peers • Males and females are more likely to help female peers than male peers • Males and Females who own mp3 players are more comfortable with computers than those who do not • The gender difference is smaller between males and females who own mp3 players than those who do not

  6. Method/Survey • Survey given to 50 beginning programming students • COS 126, ORF 201 • 31 males, 19 females • 16 questions, approx. 2 minutes • Questions • On a scale of 1 to 5: • How comfortable do you feel with programming and with computing in general? • How often did you go to a preceptor for help (besides precept time)? • Do you get help from and/or give help to peers? • yes or no • if so, name two peers in each category • Do you have (and use) a “personal music device”? • iPod • MP3 player

  7. Variables/Trends • BSE students– more males than females • Some didn’t go to class • Prior knowledge an issue? • Small “stereotype threat” • Same names listed for “giving” and “receiving” help

  8. Computing Comfort • Small margins, but males more comfortable • “Computing” wasn’t defined • All college students have to use computers! • No big differences with PMD’s • Hypothesis qualified, although difference small • Measure of PMD influence difficult

  9. Programming Comfort • Males more comfortable than females • Turkle and Papert study– programming style geared toward males, not females • Smaller gender “gap” in those with PMD’s than those without • Use of iPods and MP3 players as technological tools? • Hypothesis supported

  10. Programming Comfort According to Personal Music Device Use

  11. Help From Preceptors (beyond precept) • females > males • No way of knowing how much help they actually got– just their subjective impressions • Males need to reinforce masculine “good with computers” image • Females not necessarily adhering to “weak” stereotype– may be less shy in asking preceptors for help, since they don’t have the stereotype threat to overcome • Works to the advantage of females • Hypothesis supported!

  12. Getting Help from Peers Percentage of Students Who Have Gotten Help from Peers Percentage of Males Consulted

  13. Getting Help From Peers • Both genders received help from their peers, males more • Males may work in groups more than females • Females “substituted” peers for preceptors • Hypothesis qualified– there is a “substitution” effect with regard to who seeks more help • Both received more help from males • Perception of males as being more capable? • More males in the class=greater probability • Males were more comfortable in asking other males than females were • Maybe males don’t want to be helped by females in a “male domain” • Hypothesis supported!

  14. Giving Help to Peers Percentage of Students Who Have Given Help to Peers Percentage of Males Helped

  15. Giving Help to Peers • More males than females indicated a willingness to help • “Responsibility” to help others, and perceived to be more comfortable in this “male” domain • Hypothesis supported • Males would be willing or have helped more males • They work in groups together • Recognition that females go to preceptors instead • Hypothesis qualified– effect of the preceptors • Females would be willing or have helped more females • Afraid of being rebuffed by males? • Recognition of persistence of gender stereotype • They know males may not feel “right” about being helped by a girl • Hypothesis supported

  16. Further Study • Potential for preceptors and PMD’s as being able to “bridge” gender differences in computing– human-human interaction and increased human-machine interaction • Larger sample sizes • Controlling for the stereotype threat

More Related