Overview of Findings: What Did We Learn?

Gender & IT Education Overview of Findings: What Did We Learn? Gender Differences in Computer Science and Applied Information Technology: Results from Web Survey Gender and IT Education Conference, Indiana University, 2007 Gender and IT Education Conference, Indiana University, 2007

Overview Question/Hypothesis • Applied IT fields are more woman friendly than computer science. • What are the characteristics of these programs and the students/faculty in them that make them more women friendly? • Both undergrad and graduate students included Gender and IT Education Conference, Indiana University, 2007

Web-based Survey • Problems but best opportunity to reach students in these programs • 1516 of 1768 reported on (no answer to gender question for the rest) • Sample split between CS and Applied • CS: 508 males/115 females • Applied: 414 males/479 females Gender and IT Education Conference, Indiana University, 2007

Year in School (N=1456) Gender and IT Education Conference, Indiana University, 2007

Characteristics of groups • CS more traditional age--almost all under 35/Applied are somewhat older--27.5% over 35 • More of Applied also married and with children • Characteristics reflected in attitudes/behaviors • Men in both groups had fathers with traditional views (more than women) • Men in CS tended to have mothers with significantly more traditional views than CS women Gender and IT Education Conference, Indiana University, 2007

Experience with Computers • Higher frequency of game playing in CS and men in both groups • Main computing activity from age 12-17 was game playing for CS men • For women in CS, most important activity was communicating with friends Gender and IT Education Conference, Indiana University, 2007

When/Where Learned to Program (N=1250) Gender and IT Education Conference, Indiana University, 2007

Gender of Person Who Most Encouraged Study of IT (N=671) Gender and IT Education Conference, Indiana University, 2007

Reasons for Choosing IT • Finding well-paid employment • Flexible work schedule • Personal interest in the subject matter • Helping Others • Role Models • Skill in the Discipline Gender and IT Education Conference, Indiana University, 2007

Reasons for Choosing IT where Difference Was Significant • CS men were more likely to consider well-paid employment • CS women less likely to report a personal interest in subject matter • Applied women more likely to have desire to help others • Applied women more likely to have been drawn by role models • Men in both groups more likely to say they were good at computers Gender and IT Education Conference, Indiana University, 2007

Satisfaction with IT • Overall, both groups were quite satisfied with their majors • Men and women were equally satisfied in both groups Gender and IT Education Conference, Indiana University, 2007

Confidence in Finishing Degree • Applied group significantly more confident that they will complete their degrees • Applied: 87% of men and 91% of women “very confident” of completion • CS: 77% of men and 76% of women “very confident” of completion Gender and IT Education Conference, Indiana University, 2007

Computing Comfort/Confidence Levels • In both groups, about half of women said they were “very comfortable” using computers • Significantly more men--86% in CS reported being “very comfortable, as did 77.3% in Applied group. • Significantly more women in both groups reported being not very confident with computers • 13.1% of CS women and 11.3% of Applied • 2.6% of CS men and 3.1% of Applied Gender and IT Education Conference, Indiana University, 2007

Self-Reported Skill with Computers • CS men rated their skills at the highest levels, as “better” or “much better “ than others in their major (67.1% of the group) • Applied women rated their skills the lowest (24.0% rated their skills as “better” or “much better”) • The same level of gender difference emerged for both groups Gender and IT Education Conference, Indiana University, 2007

Reported Ease with Computer Languages • Men in both groups reported learning languages easily at a higher rate than women did • CS men reported getting high grades in programming classes at a higher rate than CS women Gender and IT Education Conference, Indiana University, 2007

Engagement with Problems • Men in both the CS and Applied group expressed a higher attraction to the challenge of solving problems with computers • The difference was smaller for the CS group (4% of the men and 2.6% of women said the challenge was not at all appealing) Gender and IT Education Conference, Indiana University, 2007

Relationship Between Gender and Attitudes Toward Computer Work Gender and IT Education Conference, Indiana University, 2007

Recommendations • Need to challenge disciplinary boundaries of CS so that skills required to succeed are not thought to apply only to males • Challenge the assumption in applied fields that women are naturally attracted to those disciplines • More pro-active measures need to be taken in both fields to recruit, retain, provide support programs and beyond Gender and IT Education Conference, Indiana University, 2007

Overview of Findings: What Did We Learn?