Gender and Computing:What’s the Problem?

Joanne McGrath Cohoon

We draw from a shrinking minority

Why so few females?

I don’t wanna sit in front of a computer all

day- Carter 2006

Lack of Information and MisconceptionsComputer 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

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

And Stereotypes Are Bad … They can lead to mistakes, or miscategorization

African Americans

with modification by Cohoon 2012

Stereotypes Aren’t Just About Gender

Aronson, et a. 2999; Steele & Aronson 1998

Race, age, body mass, … all have associated stereotypes

E.g., Who scores higher on math tests?

White male engineering students?

Asian male engineering students?

Common Stereotype: Feminine ≠ Technical

Lagesen 2005

Fear of confirming negative beliefs about my group …

» Hinders performance» Affects choices and

aspirations» Leads to harsh

personal standards, opting out if not met

Stereotypes can feel threatening

Correll 2004; Chasteen et al. 2005

Stereotype Threat: Easy to Trigger; Affects Motivated StudentsSome 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

» Don’t speak up in groups or classes

» Reluctant to take leadership roles

» Discount their performance

Stereotype Threat has subtle negative effects too

Avoid triggering stereotype threat

Gender balance in room

Create a welcoming physicalspace

Do not call attention to gender

Develop student’s skills & confidence

See Sheryl Sorby’s work

Questions or comments?