Acknowledging the Significance of Gender - Gender as a Predictor - The Research Center on Computing & Society

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Ann-Marie Lancaster

1. Gender as a Predictor

Computing is perceived by many as belonging to the male domain. Boys and girls in elementary and secondary levels view computing as more appropriate for boys than girls, and girls consistently differ from boys in: their level of confidence in their computer skills; their interest in computers; their perception of the benefits of computers; and their experience with computers. Fewer girls than boys have access to computers at school; boys are more self-confident about their potential with computers; and boys significantly outperform girls in computer literacy and computing tests. [1] Furthermore, enrollment of women in undergraduate computer science programs has been steadily decreasing since 1983, and there exists a significant discrepancy between the percentages of men and women who pursue advanced degrees in computer science. Between 1983 and 1986, women earned approximately 36% of bachelor’s degrees, 28% of master’s degrees and 10% of doctoral degrees in computer science. Only 9.4% of the Ph.D. faculty who teach computer science in four-year colleges and universities are women. [2]

The evidence is overwhelming that gender is a significant factor in predicting an individual’s potential interest and involvement in computing. Why is gender such a significant factor? Is it because recreational and educational software programs reflect the gender biases and stereotypes of their designers, predominantly white males? Is it a result of the difficulties that women students experience with self-esteem, lack of mentoring, and absence of role models? Is it because society, in particular, parents, teachers, and friends expect boys and men to be more interested and more skilled in computing than girls and women? Is it because males received more support and encouragement than females? All of these factors help shape the barriers that prevent women from full participation in the opportunities provided through computing. [3]

Furthermore, much has been written on the over masculinization of scientific theory, practice, and pedagogy and the need to transform science to include the values and methodologies associated with the female gender. Many scientists, both male and female, advocate a major paradigm shift in the scientific cultures from a patriarchal to a more balanced, connected and holistic way of perceiving and experiencing the world. Nevertheless, most of science teaching and theory are still trapped in the patriarchal mode. For example, male bias has been identified in how scientific problems are chosen and defined and in the way scientific work is designed and interpreted, and it is present in the underlying paradigms of fields of scientific study. Gender-based pedagogical biases are built into education and traditional pedagogy. [4]

It is critical that we explore how and to what extent gender bias pervades the computing field and identify the role gender bias plays in the construction and perpetuation of the barriers which deter women from the computing field. To what extent has the computer science profession considered the issue of gender? Gender is not mentioned in the curriculum guidelines of 1968, or in the curriculum guidelines of 1978. It is also not addressed in the 1991 report of the joint curriculum task force. Two recent ACM articles made reference specifically to the computer science culture and its male dominance. [5] In its 1990 report, the ACM Committee on the Status of Women in Computing Science raised the possibility that the field of computer science functions in ways that prevent or hinder women from becoming part of it. [6] The Committee suggests that we may need to evaluate our practices to ensure fair and equal treatment for all potential and current computer scientists. Those of us in the computer science profession have been responsible for designing computing curricula, for developing and proposing teaching paradigms for computer science, and for designing and implementing pedagogical strategies. We see these tasks as our responsibility. However, we have not explored the extent to which what we do and how we do it have been instrumental in making gender a significant factor in predicting an individual’s success in studying computer science. We are the primary molders of the computing culture within our educational institutions. We design the curriculum, we teach the courses, and we evaluate the students. We encourage some students and we discourage others. However, we have not acknowledged the significance of gender in the culture we have created.

What needs to be done if we are to understand the ways in which the computing culture alienates women and discourages them from participating fully in computing? First, the significance of gender needs to be raised to the status of a “real problem.” A “real problem” is one to which a significant number of persons within the discipline as well as persons with significant stature within the discipline are willing to expend considerable amounts of their time and energy seeking solutions. Second, we need to approach the problem as though we have some intention of solving it. As computer scientists, we have techniques and processes that we apply to those problems we truly hope to solve. For problems that we may not be able to solve completely, we seek partial or approximate solutions. In any case, the initial step in the problem solving process is to understand the problem.

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