Gender and Computing: What ’ s the Problem?

Gender and Computing:What’s the Problem? Joanne McGrath Cohoon

We draw from a shrinking minority

Why so few females?

Lack of Information and Misconceptions I don’t wanna sit in front of a computer all day - Carter 2006 • 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 restrict access & 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 & Stereotype Threat Affect Underrepresented Students

Mental shortcuts for generalizing knowledge to other situations Stereotypes Are Good …

They can lead to mistakes, or miscategorization And Stereotypes Are Bad … African Americans with modification by Cohoon 2012

Stereotypes Aren’t Just About Gender Race, age, body mass, … all have associated stereotypes E.g., Who scores higher on math tests? White male engineering students? Asian male engineering students? • Aronson, et a. 2999; Steele & Aronson 1998

Common Stereotype: Feminine ≠ Technical Lagesen 2005

Stereotypes can feel threatening • 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; Chasteen et al. 2005

Stereotype Threat: Easy to Trigger; Affects Motivated Students • Some triggers • Gender imbalance in room • Stereotyped physical space • Attention called to gender

Stereotype Threat Masks Ability • Remove threat and women test better • Advanced calculus course with 100 male, 57 female students • No gender difference in course grades • Significant difference in test performance without threat • Good, Aronson, Harder, 2008

Stereotype Threat Reduces Learning and Persistence • Note-taking skill reduced by stereotype threat • Feelings of belonging impaired • Appel et al. 2011; Good et al. 2012

Stereotype Threat has subtle negative effects too • Don’t speak up in groups or classes • Reluctant to take leadership roles • Discount their performance

Actively Recruit using messages that counter stereotypes without repeating them

Gender balance in room Create a welcoming physicalspace Do not call attention to gender Avoid triggering stereotype threat

Develop student’s skills & confidence See Sheryl Sorby’s work

Questions or comments?

Gender and Computing: What ’ s the Problem?