Discovery

Women Wanted in Computer Science

Getting more women into computer science requires a rethink about how it is taught at tertiary level.

Linda Selby and Dr Ken Ryba

Concern has been expressed by a number of people in industry and education about the low numbers of women participating in tertiary level computer courses and the subsequent impact of this on the computer industry as a whole. Women are just as capable of having a successful career in the computer science industry as men, but New Zealand, like other Western countries, is currently missing out on a valuable source of talent.

In most Western countries, including Britain, South Africa, the US and Australia, research has shown that not only are the participation rates of women low, but that the actual numbers have been declining over recent years. Women account for approximately 25% of enrolments in first-year courses but their rate of participation drops sharply at higher levels of study.

Recent research carried out by Victoria University also shows that the drop-out rate for women is higher than the dropout rate for men. Unlike engineering and science where there have always been low numbers of women, the computer science industry began with women taking key roles as programmers and system designers.

The Ministry of Education recently funded us to carry out research aimed at examining gender-inclusion in tertiary level computer courses. Participants in the study were students enrolled in courses in the University of Waikato's Department of Computer Science and in Waikato Polytechnic's Department of Information Technology.

The aim was to identify methods that can be effectively used to maximise the participation rates of women students. Data was collected from staff and students working and studying in the area in an attempt to examine the whole ecology of computing courses, including physical environments, students' perceptions of abilities, and teaching and learning practices.

The results show that there are many important influences currently working against making a career in computer science or information technology attractive to young women. These include:

• a lack of knowledge about what a career in the computing industry means
• attitudes and behaviour of staff who are overwhelmingly male
• a reported lack of confidence among women students despite their successes and abilities
• a lack of women lecturers
• the stereotyping of computer science as a male pursuit
• the male-dominated computer culture with its "macho" connotations

There is very little in the media that depicts a computing career as a worthwhile, interesting, people-related occupation. Studies we carried out in high schools show that there is a widespread lack of understanding amongst young people -- young women in particular -- about the real nature of computing as not just theoretical, mathematical and solitary, but a career requiring a diversity of skills both of a technical and an interpersonal nature.

Although it can be helpful to have a strong mathematical background before studying computer science, the development of higher level applications, languages and operating systems means it is no longer as essential or as relevant for all students to have high level mathematical skills. Both students and staff in the study report that logical thinking, problem solving skills and communication skills were more important than maths skills.

The students who have the most success in computer science courses at tertiary level are the students who have a working knowledge of the subject already. More work is needed on the presentation and course content of first- and second-year courses to ensure that students who are new to the subject are able to catch up to the others. There is also a need to ensure that those who already have a high level of skill receive challenging and interesting learning experiences.

There is increasing interest overseas in degree structures that are flexible and which allow students to take subjects from other disciplines. This not only appeals to women, but also produces students with computer skills and applications in specific areas such as engineering, business or education.

In the Computer Science Department at the University of Waikato, some new courses such as The Computing Experience and Computing Tools for Knowledge Workers have been designed specifically for students who are not computing majors.

The British Computer Society predicts that most information technology jobs of the future will demand business aptitude, people-oriented skills, and multi-tasking management potential more than straight technical ability.

Administrators of computing courses at tertiary level should examine their teaching methods, their publicity and advertising, their course structures and their lab environments. Students need interesting challenging tasks related to real life experience -- this will enable them to develop the diversity of skills required in the real world of the future.

In turn, this will result in a greater participation of women in the computer science field. The lack of inclusion of women in the computer industry will not serve the business community or society well in the future. The closure of computing and the exclusion of people who could move the industry forward, means that it is not fully relevant to the needs of the users at home, in business and in education.

Dr Ken Ryba is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Educational Psychology at Massey University's Albany campus.
Linda Selby is a lecturer at Waikato Polytechnic in the Department of Information Technology.