Female Involvement in Information Technology Degrees: Perception, Expectation and Enrolment
The aim of this research was to identify the social, marketing and academic factors that effect the expectations and enrolment of students in university degrees. Of particular interest were the factors that differentiate female and male perceptions of Information Technology degrees from degrees in other discipline areas. Multidimensional scaling was used to analyse and compare high-school student subject dissimilarity ratings with perceptions of discipline areas at Southern Cross University. It was found that females tend to avoid information technology degrees, not because such degrees are considered difficult, but because they do not offer scope for teamwork and social interaction.
Socioeconomic Status, Parents' Sex-Role Stereotypes, and the Gender Gap in Computing
AbstractThis study examined the effect of family socioeconomic status (SES) and parental sex-typed views and behaviors on children’s attitudes toward computers. The study sample consisted of 1, 730 male and female high school students in grades 9 and 12. The results indicated that SES, including the parents’ occupations and education, had significant effects on students’ attitudes toward computers. In general, gender-differential attitudes were more pronounced in the lower socioeconomic group. SES had a stronger effect on girls than boys. Analysis of the research findings revealed that both girls and boys perceived the gender stereotypes about computing held by their parents, and such attitudes inversely affected the female students’ own attitudes. Further examination showed that parental encouragement positively influenced boys’ and girls’ attitudes. Step-wise regression showed that parental encouragement had the strongest effect on children’s attitudes, parental sex-typed views ranked next, and SES had ...
The technological gender gap: Evidence and recommendations for educators and computer-based instruction designers
The term “technological gender gap” refers to the idea that males and females have different technology-related attitudes, behaviors, and skills. This article reviews the mounting evidence documenting the existence of a gender gap, which, if ignored, could render large numbers of female students unprepared to meet the technological challenges of the future. Recommendations for ameliorating the technological gender gap are presented for educators and computer-based instruction (CBI) designers who are interested in providing equitable educational opportunities for male and female students.