Encouraging Girls to Participate in Computer Science

Encouraging Girls to Participate
in Computer Science
http://tiny.cc/KimGarcia
Capitalize the K and G

 TCEA’s Technology Applications & Computer Science
Special Interest Group (TA/CS-SIG) President
 Educational Technology Coordinator, Georgetown ISD,
Georgetown, Texas
 Former High School Computer Science and
Webmastering Teacher
Presenter: Kim Garcia

What Percentage of Your Computer
Science Students are Female?
87%
13%
Kim's CS Enrollment
Male Female

Did You Know?
 In elementary school, girls like science as much as boys do
 Girls and boys who take the AP Computer Science exam score equally
Source: Edudemic, “Why Are Girls Not Pursuing Computer Science Degrees?”, by Katie Lepi, October 12, 2013
http://www.edudemic.com/girls-computer-science-degrees/

Reasons Girls Might Be Avoiding
Computer Science
1. Girls’ Perception of Computer Science
 Computer Science doesn’t help people
 Computer scientists are geeky guys who
like to be alone at a computer or with a
gaming console
 Girls don’t feel they fit in to the computer
science classroom / environment
Sources:
Edudemic, “Why Are Girls Not Pursuing Computer Science Degrees?”, by Katie Lepi, October 12, 2013
“Ambient belonging: how stereotypical cues impact gender participation in computer science,” by Cheryan,
Plaut, Davies, and Steele, December 2009 http://psycnet.apa.org/?&fa=main.doiLanding&doi=10.1037/a0016239

Reasons Girls Might Be Avoiding
Computer Science
2. Girls’ Perception of Their Own Abilities
 Girls feel people are born with fixed
abilities, especially in math. Girls often give
up instead of working through difficulties.
 Girls perceive boys’ bravado or boasting
means that boys are more knowledgeable
than girls
Sources:
Mind/Shift, “Giving Good Praise to Girls: What Messages Stick”, by Katrina Schwartz, April 24, 2013
http://blogs.kqed.org/mindshift/2013/04/giving-good-praise-to-girls-what-messages-stick/
Featuring the research of Carol S. Dweck, Ph.D. https://www.stanford.edu/dept/psychology/cgi-bin/drupalm/system/files/cdweckmathgift.pdf

A Trip Down Memory Lane
 Can you recall a time when
you felt uncomfortable as a
learner?
 Share your story with your
elbow partner

Ways to Encourage Girls to Join
or Stay in Computer Science
1. Recruit Proactively
 Message intentionally – Send a strong message that you want girls in
your classes and clubs
 Invite female students to sign up for CS classes and participate in clubs
 Hold a girls in Computer Science orientation
 Current female students visit other classes to explain how computer
science relates
 Meet with guidance counselors, teachers, and parents to share
opportunities in computer science
 Reach out to female students through collaborative projects with
campus clubs/organizations and classes
Sources: NCWIT, “Top 10 Ways of Recruiting High School Women into Your Computing Classes” https://www.ncwit.org/resources/top-10-
ways-recruiting-high-school-women-your-computing-classes/top-10-ways-recruiting
Tricia Berry, “Exciting Girls (and All Students) About CS and STEM: Messaging, Imagery, & Attitude”
http://www.thetrc.org/web/assets/files/pdfs/01-Presentation-Exciting-Kids-about-CS-and-STEM.pdf

2. Adjust the Image of a Computer Scientist
 Discuss stereotypes with all students and find out what they
consider a stereotypical computer scientist to be
 Invite computer scientists to speak to your class in person or via
Skype, or take a field trip
 Dispel the stereotype
 Help students understand how computer science helps people
 Be conscious that your students may not want to think of
themselves as nerds or geeks
Sources:
NCWIT, “Top 10 Ways of Recruiting High School Women into Your Computing Classes”
https://www.ncwit.org/resources/top-10-ways-recruiting-high-school-women-your-computing-classes/top-10-ways-recruiting

3. Show Female Role Models
 Discuss pioneering and prominent women in the field of
computer science
 Invite former female computer science students to speak
 Invite local female computer scientists to speak.
• Make connections through your city’s Chamber of
Commerce or through one of the Top 10 Women in Tech
Organizations: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/craig-newmark/10-women-in-
tech-orgs-you-should-know_b_4005325.html
Sources:
NCWIT, “Top 10 Ways of Recruiting High School Women into Your Computing Classes”
https://www.ncwit.org/resources/top-10-ways-recruiting-high-school-women-your-computing-classes/top-10-ways-recruiting

4. Decorate Classroom with Non-Stereotypical Objects
x Star Trek and video games
 Images of people creating, designing, programming
• Choose some images that include women: computing
leaders, group pictures of students
• Girls notice pictures of women/girls working with
computers or devices
• Boys notice pictures of the “things”: computers or devices
Sources:
NCWIT, “Top 10 Ways of Recruiting High School Women into Your Computing Classes” https://www.ncwit.org/resources/top-10-ways-recruiting-high-school-
women-your-computing-classes/top-10-ways-recruiting
“Ambient belonging: how stereotypical cues impact gender participation in computer science,” by Cheryan, Plaut, Davies, and Steele,
December 2009 http://psycnet.apa.org/?&fa=main.doiLanding&doi=10.1037/a0016239
Tricia Berry, “Exciting Girls (and All Students) About CS and STEM: Messaging, Imagery, & Attitude” http://www.thetrc.org/web/assets/files/pdfs/01-
Presentation-Exciting-Kids-about-CS-and-STEM.pdf

5. Praise and Encouragement for Girls and Boys
 Emphasize that computer science skills are learned
through a process of setbacks and overcoming challenges
 Praise students for:
• The process or strategy they are using to think through a
problem or a segment of code
• Taking on a challenge and sticking to it
Sources:
Mind/Shift, “Giving Good Praise to Girls: What Messages Stick”, by Katrina Schwartz, April 24, 2013
http://blogs.kqed.org/mindshift/2013/04/giving-good-praise-to-girls-what-messages-stick/
NCWIT, “Top 10 Ways of Recruiting High School Women into Your Computing Classes” https://www.ncwit.org/resources/top-
10-ways-recruiting-high-school-women-your-computing-classes/top-10-ways-recruiting

6. Change Your CS Vocabulary
 Say Discovery, Design, Imagination,
Innovation, Contribution
 Say Create, not Build
 Focus on outputs, career
opportunities, making a difference
in the world
Source: Tricia Berry, “Exciting Girls (and All Students) About CS and STEM: Messaging, Imagery, & Attitude”

7. Talk About Careers in IT
 IT’s important
 IT’s creative
 IT’s team-oriented
 IT’s valued, respected, and flexible
 IT’s everywhere
Source: NCWIT, “Why Should Young People Consider Careers in Information Technology?”
http://www.ncwit.org/resources/why-should-young-people-consider-careers-information-technology
 Meaningful Work
• Saves lives
• Solves health problems
• Improves the environment
• Keeps us connected
 High Salaries with a Bachelor’s Degree
 Flexibility and Variety
• Flexible hours, telecommuting, blend
career and family
• Skills useful in many jobs

8. Social and Hands-on Learning Activities
 Pair programming
 Promote social and teamwork aspects of computer
science in a blended learning environment (Schoology,
Edmodo)
 Allow students to choose projects focused on social
and cultural problems important to them
 Student Competitions
• Provide ongoing encouragement for girls to enter
• Host an open house or “how to” night
Sources: Edudemic, “Why Are Girls Not Pursuing Computer Science Degrees?”, by Katie Lepi, October 12, 2013
NCWIT, “Top 10 Ways to Increase Girls’ Participation in Computing Competitions” http://www.ncwit.org/resources/top-10-ways-
increase-girls-participation-computing-competitions

9. Computer Science Camps & Internships for Girls
 University of Texas at Austin’s FirstBytes camp
https://www.cs.utexas.edu/outreach/first-bytes
 NCWIT Aspirations in Computing
https://www.aspirations.org/participate/opportunities

10. Introduce Programming Early
 Code.org’s Hour of Code & K-5 Curriculum
 Texas Technology Applications TEKS Grades K-2,
3-5, and 6-8 require that students be exposed to
programming languages
 Free Apps and Websites: Kodable (iPad),
Hopscotch (iPad), Scratch, Alice
 Robotics: Wonder Workshop Dash and Dot,
Lego Mindstorms
 Board Games: Robot Turtles
Source: Edudemic, “Why Are Girls Not Pursuing Computer Science Degrees?”, by Katie Lepi, October 12, 2013

Why Diversity is Important in
Computer Science
Source: The Chronicle of Higher Education: “More Gender Diversity Will Mean Better Science,” by Sue V.
Rosser, October 29, 2012 http://chronicle.com/article/More-Gender-Diversity-Will/135310/
 May lead to innovation. People bring different
approaches to problem solving.
 Women have invented technologies useful in child care,
for example, because of their unique experiences
 More diversity (gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic
background) helps guard against bias and may lead to
new ideas that will improve life for everyone
 Help boys and girls understand why diversity is
important. Don’t exclude or marginalize boys in your
quest to recruit and retain girls!

What Will You Do Differently?
 Write down one thing you want
to do differently when you
return to your classroom
 Share your idea with your elbow
partner

Women in Computer Science
Resources
 University of Texas at Austin’s FirstBytes camp https://www.cs.utexas.edu/outreach/first-bytes
 National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT): http://www.ncwit.org/
 NCWIT Aspirations in Computing https://www.aspirations.org/participate/opportunities
 Tricia Berry, “Exciting Girls (and All Students) About CS and STEM: Messaging, Imagery, & Attitude”
 UT Austin’s Women in Engineering Program on Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/utwep/
 Huffington Post: “10 Women in Tech Orgs You Should Know” by Craig Newmark on September 27,
2013 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/craig-newmark/10-women-in-tech-orgs-you-should-
know_b_4005325.html
 American Association of University Women (AAUW) supports computer science education – find
your local group: http://www.aauw.org/article/hour-of-code/
 National Institute for Women in Trades, Technology, and Science (Helping Educators Close the
Gender Gap for Women in Technology): Recruitment: http://www.iwitts.org/proven-
practices/topics/recruitment

Introduce Programming Early
Resources
 Code.org’s Hour of Code & K-5 Curriculum http://code.org/
 Texas Technology Applications TEKS http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/rules/tac/chapter126/
 Kodable app (iPad) http://www.surfscore.com/
 Hopscotch app (iPad) https://www.gethopscotch.com/
 Scratch http://scratch.mit.edu/
 Alice http://www.alice.org/
 Wonder Workshop https://www.makewonder.com
 Lego Mindstorms http://mindstorms.lego.com
 Robot Turtles http://www.robotturtles.com/

Presentation
Resources
 Edudemic: “Why Are Girls Not Pursuing Computer Science Degrees?” by Katie Lepi on
October 12, 2013 http://www.edudemic.com/girls-computer-science-degrees/
 NCWIT: “Top 10 Ways of Recruiting High School Women into Your Computing Classes”
https://www.ncwit.org/resources/top-10-ways-recruiting-high-school-women-your-
computing-classes/top-10-ways-recruiting
 NCWIT, “Why Should Young People Consider Careers in Information Technology?”
http://www.ncwit.org/resources/why-should-young-people-consider-careers-information-
technology
 NCWIT, “Top 10 Ways to Increase Girls’ Participation in Computing Competitions”
http://www.ncwit.org/resources/top-10-ways-increase-girls-participation-computing-
competitions
 Mind/Shift: “Giving Good Praise to GiTricia Berry, “Exciting Girls (and All Students) About
CS and STEM: Messaging, Imagery, & Attitude”
http://www.thetrc.org/web/assets/files/pdfs/01-Presentation-Exciting-Kids-about-CS-and-
STEM.pdf

Presentation
Resources (continued)
 Mind/Shift, “Giving Good Praise to Girls: What Messages Stick” by Katrina Schwartz on April
24, 2013 http://blogs.kqed.org/mindshift/2013/04/giving-good-praise-to-girls-what-
messages-stick/
 Huffington Post: “10 Women in Tech Orgs You Should Know” by Craig Newmark on
September 27, 2013 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/craig-newmark/10-women-in-tech-
orgs-you-should-know_b_4005325.html
 The Chronicle of Higher Education: “More Gender Diversity Will Mean Better Science” by
Sue V. Rosser on October 29, 2012 http://chronicle.com/article/More-Gender-Diversity-
Will/135310/
 The Stereotypical Computer Scientist: Gendered Media Representations as a Barrier to
Inclusion for Women http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs11199-013-0296-x
 Ambient belonging: How stereotypical cues impact gender participation in computer
science http://psycnet.apa.org/?&fa=main.doiLanding&doi=10.1037/a0016239

Questions & Discussion
+ Connect with Kim
 Questions & Discussion
 Connect with Kim Garcia
–Twitter: @DigitalLearners
–Website: http://texascomputerscience.weebly.com
–Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/digitallearners/computer-science-education/
–Diigo: https://www.diigo.com/user/digitallearners/Computer_Science

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Encouraging Girls to Participate in Computer Science

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