ACES: introducing girls to and building interest in engineering and computer science careers

Wigal, Cecelia M.; Alp, Neslihan; McCullough, Claire L.; Smullen, Stephanie A.; Winters, Kathy

doi:10.1109/fie.2002.1158123

Cited by 6 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 2 publications

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“…There is a large amount of literature relating to intervention programmes that have been implemented to change the declining interest in computing. Much of this literature, eg [23], [24] shows that for any intervention programme to be successful, raising awareness of computing and related careers is crucial.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Young people's perceptions of computing careers

McEwan

McConnell

2013

2013 IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE)

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Recruitmentinto computing-related undergraduate degree courses is challenging in several countries. This is despite employers reporting skills shortages, and the sector generally offering better salaries than for graduates of more popular courses. This paper describes a study (n=111) of the interest of 16 and 17 year olds in taking Computing-related degrees, particularly those that lead to user experience ( U X) careers, where there is both a local and global skills shortage. The picture that emerges is of surprisingly pronounced and entrenched attitudes, which are worthy of a more detailed study. Only one of eight typical computing job roles (Tester) was familiar while the term UX was almost unknown. The females in this study expressed antipathy even towards finding out about computing careers. An unexpected additional finding is the commonplace, and apparently inappropriate, use of Myers Briggs-style questionnaires in offering careers advice on computing to local school children. This paper will be of interest to those who seek to progress professionalism in the field of computing and to recruit (particularly female) school leavers into computing degrees.Recruitment into computing-related undergraduate degree courses is challenging in several countries. This is despite employers reporting skills shortages, and the sector generally offering better salaries than for graduates of more popular courses. This paper describes a study of the interest of teenagers in taking computing-related degrees, particularly those that lead to user experience (UX) careers, where there is both a local and global skills shortage. The project grew out of a group discussion at a national event involving 16-year olds, colleges and universities, employers and public policy bodies. The other stakeholders realized that they could not respond adequately to a teenager's request that, unlike the situation for medicine, law or plumbing, the computing profession could not describe a student's progression over the next ten years before demanding their commitment.After a review of the situation in other countries, we focus on a single local high school, one with a high university participation rate, and investigate the views of 16 and 17-year olds (n=lll) through an intermediary. Ethical constraints limit both the access to the subjects, and the generalizability of the data, yet the picture that emerges is of surprisingly pronounced 978-1-4673-5261-

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Young people's perceptions of computing careers

McEwan

McConnell

2013

2013 IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE)

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“…ACES, McCullough (2002, p. 9) argued, is a program that provides "a unique and considerable variety of approaches…and one that could be replicated elsewhere on a relatively small budget." The budgetary implications of ACES were detailed by Wigal, Alp, McCullough, Smullen, and Winters (2002) when they reported that including camp counselor, activities at the Challenger Learning Centre, food, housing and material, the programs run in the early 2000s cost $465USD per participant for the camp and $30 per participant for the follow up sessions and fairs. Given these costs, it is understandable that by the end of its second year in operation, ACES would, even with generous funding from the National Science Foundation Gender Equity Program, provide access to only 49 girls, half of whom would derive from economically disadvantaged backgrounds (Wigal et al, 2002).…”

Section: Education Institutions / Research Activitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Encouraging Girls to Consider a Career in ICT: A Review of Strategies

Miliszewska

Moore²

2010

JITE:IIP

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This article reviews strategies designed to improve female participation in ICT studies and careers. In reviewing a range of strategies from around the world, the article identifies the different actors engaging with the "problem" of girls and technology. It points to the many crossovers that occur as governments, higher education providers, industry, and the voluntary sector complement each other in their search for effective solutions to a dilemma that is increasingly recognised as being much more complex than a simple dichotomy of gender and technology. The particular milieu for which this review has been conducted -an educationally and otherwise disadvantaged area of Melbourne, Australia -is reflected in identification of strategies specifically focused on girls and women with low socio-economic status (SES) and students exposed to educational disadvantage.The first section of this article -an introduction to and overview of the global problem of female under-representation in ICT -provides a context in which the problem, as it exists in Australia, may be understood. Section two consists of four sub-sections in which various types of intervention strategies are described. The sub-sections: Government/Policy-Driven Activity, Education Institutions/Research Activity, Industry Groups, and Voluntary Initiatives indicate the breadth of effort being employed in pursuit of solutions to the "problem" of girls and technology. They point also to considerable overlaps in design, delivery, and results, and illuminate many of the problems encountered along the way. The third and final section of this article discusses the pros and cons of the various types of approach, comparing and contrasting the efforts of government, educational institutions, industry-based groups, and voluntary initiatives in their search for successful and sustainable ways of attracting girls to ICT studies and careers. This article brings together in one place a variety of strategies aimed at improving female participation in ICT studies. In doing so, it highlights the difficulty of one-size-fits-all approaches and illuminates the importance of front and back-end processes to the delivery of successful programs. It demonstrates that for those designing programs capable of attracting girls to ICT, failing to prepare is preparing to fail.

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“…A number of initiatives have been undertaken worldwide to draw girls and women into SET education and careers. The University of Tennessee's program to address the gender gap in engineering and computer science emphasizes hands-on engineering and computer activities through summer camps for girls and fairs conducted at schools and other public and private facilities in the community (Wigal, Alip, McCullogh, Smullen, and Winters, 2002). The University of Colorado's "techno-neutral" high school girls explore the potential for careers in engineering and technology through developing educational interactive multimedia software.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The Young Engineers of South Africa (Wishart, Oades, and Morris, 2007) which was incubated at the Meraka Institute (Wigal et al, 2002) has made a concerted effort to pilot a number of interventions aimed at addressing the SET pipeline in South Africa in all schools. There is an emphasis on previously disadvantaged schools, especially female and black students.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Experiences of Girls in a Fabrication Engineering Environment

Dlodlo

Beyers

2009

Gender, Technology and Development

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The article reports on an effort to address the issue of inequality in girls’ and women’s access to science, engineering and technology (SET) education and careers through raising an awareness on SET among school girls in South Africa. Secondary school girls were exposed to a hands-on rapid-prototyping environment of a fabrication laboratory with the aim of imparting knowledge and familiarity with the nature and possibilities of the engineering field. The girls were exposed to various skills including electronics, computer-aided design, media ability, management, team-work, and problem-solving, peer-mentoring and communicating ideas. Exposure to technology enhanced the girls’ confidence in being able to handle technology-related tasks.

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ACES: introducing girls to and building interest in engineering and computer science careers

Cited by 6 publications

References 2 publications

Young people's perceptions of computing careers

Young people's perceptions of computing careers

Encouraging Girls to Consider a Career in ICT: A Review of Strategies

The Experiences of Girls in a Fabrication Engineering Environment

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