International Perspective of Women and Computer Science Elizabeth S. Adams, James Madison U., USA...
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Transcript of International Perspective of Women and Computer Science Elizabeth S. Adams, James Madison U., USA...
International Perspective
of Women and Computer
Science Elizabeth S. Adams ,James Madison U., USA
Orit Hazzan, Technion – IIT, Israel
Hrafn Loftsson, Reykjavik University, Iceland
Alison Young, UNITEC, New Zealand
Introduction• The topic of women in computer science
has recently been getting attention:
– Special issue of the SIGCSE Bulletin inroads
(Vol. 34, Number 2, June 2002).
– Margolis, J., & Fisher, A. (2002). Unlocking the
clubhouse – Women in computing. MIT press.
• The panel aims to highlight the topic from
multi-national perspective.
Panel Overview
• Panelists’ presentations (12 minutes each)
• Discussion with the audience (25 minutes)
– Identify common interests
– Check an international
• agenda
• research framework
with respect to the topic
Panelists
Elizabeth S. Adams ,James Madison U., USA
Orit Hazzan, Technion – IIT, Israel
Hrafn Loftsson, Reykjavik University, Iceland
Alison Young, UNITEC, New Zealand
Hi-Tech in Israel
• Population of Israel: 6,458 Million
• In the 1990s, Israel emerged as a leading
center for technology start-ups and innovation
• In the hi-tech peak:
– About 3000 startups.
– July 2000: There were 700 openings for every
software engineer.
Hi-Tech in Israel – Why?
• National security and military needs:
– Many of Israel's high-tech entrepreneurs got their
start in the Israel Defense Forces
– The IDF influence of the Israeli hi-tech
• Technological influence: reserve forces
• Social influence: machoism, network, improvisation
• Immigration of Russian engineers from the
former Soviet Union in last decade.
– Highest number of engineers per capita (worldwide)
Hi-Tech in Israel
Currently:
– The worldwide economic crisis
– The political situation in the Middle East
Data from Israel
•High schools:
– Levels, other subjects, different schools
•Universities:
– Technion, Bar-Ilan
Israel: CS Matriculation exam - % of female
5 units (high) 3 units (low)
26.6% 53.2%
51.9%27.1%
51.9%27.3%
46.4%26.2%
46.0%27.3%
47.0%29.5%
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
Data from Israeli high schools:
Matriculation exams ‘99 - Highest
level
BibleLiterature
MathCS
Boys
2,538
(39%)
757
(16%)
5,602
(57%)
3,990
(72%)
Girls
3,992
(61%)
4,041
(84%)
4,179
(43%)
1,538
(28%)
Data from Israel• 3 schools
• The data were gathered by teachers– Public (Jewish) sector
– Arab sector
– Religious sector
• The previous data (25% learn 5 units) is not
reflected in all schools
• Specific sectors change the balance.
• Note: Not all schools were checked. The observation is
correct with respect to all schools that were checked.
Data from Israel Number of students who learn 5 units
Public high-school in Tel-Aviv
Graduation year
Male students
Female students
19973312
19983310
1999299
2000326
2001355
Data from IsraelNumber of students who learn 5 units
Arab high-school in Nazareth
Graduation year
Male students
Female students
19972826
19983130
19992834
20003634
20013531
Data from Israel
Number of students who learn 5 units
Religious high-school in the north of Israel
Graduation year
Male students
Female students
19971514
19981213
19991216
200086
200158
Data from IsraelTechnion: CS graduates
year #graduates #women %women
19971272318
19981622415
19991924423
20002425221
20012727026
Data from IsraelBar-Ilan university
• Religious university
• 2002: Major in Computer Science
– Total: 337 student
– # of female students: 128
– % of female students: 38%
Data from the World
– USA: The shrinking pipeline
1994-1983 2002-1993
– Mauritius: 2K km from Africa (talk in the next session) High and increased %s (~50%)
37
28
18
16
Data from the World• Similar to US: Scandinavia, German countries.
• Similar to Mauritius: Greece,Turkey
• Does the phenomenon of minority of
women in Computer Science
characterize cultures that are influenced
by the US?
• If yes – why?
Tmura (Change) Project activities
• Data collection (by us and by
teachers)
• Workshops for teachers
• Interviews
• Questionnaires
• Class Observations
Teacher workshop: Activities
GirlsBoysBoth genders
Encourage
Discourage
Factors that encourage/discourage girls and boys from choosing CS.
Some data• Example from one of the workshops:
# of factors that influence the selection of CS in high school
GirlsBoysBoth genders
Encourage 014
Discourage713
Some Data
GirlsBoysBoth genders
Encourage 0
• Hi-tech• Bill Gates
• Cool
• A lot of money
• Dynamic career
Discourage
7 Next Slide
• Requires a lot of work
• High requirements• The hi-tech crisis
• Example from one of the workshops:Factors that influence the selection of CS in high school
Some Data
Factors that discourage girls from learning
CS:
• A technological field
• The male image of the field
• Culture (boys get Lego, girls get Barbie)
• Principals, teachers, advisors’ influence
• Requires a lot of work
• Fear of learning a topic that they will not succeed
in
• Connection to the kind of work in the future
Findings
• Teacher explanations: Why do girls not choose CS?
– Emotional (e.g., fear from failure)
– Cognitive (e.g., it’s difficult)
– Pedagogical (e.g., the learning environment)
– Social (e.g., the nature of the profession)
• Teacher explanations of these kinds appear in
all activities.