Does Competitor Grade Level Influence Perception of Cybersecurity Competition Design Gender Inclusiveness?

Abstract

Lack of gender diversity is a recognized issue within STEM. As a result, much effort has been invested in alternative means of recruitment and education. One example are cybersecurity competitions serving as popular training mechanisms. Yet, earlier research found that competitors perceive these competitions to be designed in a non-gender inclusive manner. The prior work did not consider potential biases in competitors however. Motivationally, future competition design may be misguided if competitors' perceptions were skewed due to exposure and social desirability. This led to the general question of whether grade level is related to identification of such competitions as nongender inclusive in design. Accordingly, this study measured if U.S. collegiate upperclassmen and underclassmen participating in competitions are equally likely to identify cybersecurity competitions as non-gender inclusive. To that end, a chi-square statistic was used to compare the rates of identification of competition design gender inclusiveness amongst 104 cyber competitors. The results of the analysis indicated that upperclassmen are no more likely than underclassmen to identify a cybersecurity competition as non-gender inclusive. Thus, gender non-inclusiveness of competitions may be inherent in the design of such as opposed to a subjective experience of competitors.

Assessment of Cybersecurity Competition Teams as Experiential Education Exercises

“…They are seen to be an excellent way to broaden participation in cybersecurity education (and eventually cybersecurity careers) by underserved populations [31], [32]. Problematically, at least some competitions have been found to not be gender-inclusive [33].…”