Communications of the ACM
Predicting Women's Persistence in Computer Science and Technology Majors
While demand for computer science and information technology skills grows, the proportion of women entering computer science (CS) fields has declined. One critical juncture is the transition from high school to college. A new study examines factors predicting college persistence in computer science- and technology-related majors from data collected from female high school students.
In a survey, the researchers asked students about their interest and confidence in computing as well as their intentions to learn programming, game design, or invent new technology. The survey also asked about perceived social support from friends and family for pursuing computing as well as experiences with computing, including the CS Advanced Placement (AP) exam, out-of-school time activities such as clubs, and internships.
Programming during high school, taking the CS Advanced Placement exam, and participation in the Aspirations awards program were the best predictors of persistence three years after the high school survey in both CS and other technology-related majors. The results suggest that efforts to broaden participation in computing should emphasize education in computer programming.
From ACM Transactions on Computing Education
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