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Women planning to major in computer science: Who are they and what makes them unique?
- Source :
- Computer Science Education. 26:277-298
- Publication Year :
- 2016
- Publisher :
- Informa UK Limited, 2016.
-
Abstract
- Despite the current growing popularity of the computer science (CS) major, women remain sorely underrepresented in the field, continuing to earn only 18% of bachelor’s degrees. Understanding women’s low rates of participation in CS is important given that the demand for individuals with CS training has grown sharply in recent years. Attracting and retaining more women to high-paying fields like CS may also help narrow the gender pay gap. Further, it is important that women participate in developing new technology so that technology advances serve the needs of both women and men. This paper explores the background characteristics, career aspirations, and self-perceptions of 1636 female first-year college students in the United States who intend to major in CS and compares them with 4402 male CS aspirants as well as with 26,642 women planning to major in other STEM sub-fields. The findings reveal a unique profile of women who pursue the CS major and notes many significant differences between men and...
- Subjects :
- Gerontology
Medical education
General Computer Science
Higher education
business.industry
Computer science
media_common.quotation_subject
05 social sciences
Self-concept
050301 education
02 engineering and technology
Academic achievement
Bachelor
Popularity
Education
020204 information systems
0202 electrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineering
business
0503 education
Gender pay gap
media_common
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 17445175 and 08993408
- Volume :
- 26
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Computer Science Education
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi...........f15fda56187fb0a2d53842d897584a17