Unlocking the Barriers to Women and Minorities in Computer Science and Information Systems Studies: Results from a Multi-Methodolical Study Conducted at Two Minority Serving Institutions

Abstract

The under representation of women and minorities in undergraduate computer science and information systems programs is a pervasive and persistent problem in the United States. Needed is a better understanding of the background and psychosocial factors that attract, or repel, minority students from computing disciplines. An examination of these factors is the focus of this multimethodological study that has been conducted over three phases with three separate populations.During phase 1, a survey was administered to students, who were non computer science or information systems majors, enrolled in computer applications courses at both a public and a private Historically Black Universities located in Maryland. The purpose was to examine whether a correlation existed between institutional type and access, education, counseling, and exposure to computing and/or information systems. Analysis of the data found that the participating students came to college with little information about computer science (CS) and information systems (IS) as fields of study. However, a significant disparity was found when institutional type was considered. According to the findings the students attending the private minority-serving institution reported greater access to technology, skill levels, and computing studies prior to entering college.Unlocking the Barriers to Women and Minorities in CS and IS Studies 116 success, and retention of underrepresented students in CS and IS majors.

Using Social Cognitive Career Theory to Understand Why Students Choose to Study Computer Science

“…These findings are similar to those of Varma [59] and Buzzetto-More et al [11] who found only a small percentage of CS and engineering students believed that their high school computing courses prepared them for a CS degree. Some of these subjects mentioned that their informal learning influenced them to pursue the CS degree.…”

Beauty and Joy of Computing

“…The need for more opportunities for students to learn CS in high school is particularly pronounced for female students and students from racial and ethnic groups historically underrepresented in computing and technology (URG). Buzzetto-More and colleagues found that inadequate programming skills from coursework prior to college is a barrier to minorities participating in computing disciplines in college [14]. The College Board has reported that students who take AP computer science are eight times more likely to major in CS [15].…”

Computer science identity and sense of belonging

“…We would like to find out the barriers and key issues that keep women feeling as a minority when they join our course. A barrier that keeps women from pursuing the computer science degree is that female students have less prior experience with computers than men do upon entering the computer science degree [8,9,10]. Further responses revealed that the male respondents played more computer games, taught themselves to program more often, and attended CoderDojo more than the female respondents.…”