What Is a Computer Scientist? Developing the Draw-a-Computer-Scientist-Test for Elementary School Students

• In Event: Encouraging Careers in Engineering and Computer Science

Abstract

We developed the Draw-A-Computer-Scientist-Test (DACST) to better understand elementary school students’ conceptions of computer scientists and the nature of their work. By understanding how young children perceive computer scientists, we can broaden their ideas about the activities and images of computer scientists. We administered the DACST to 185, fourth through sixth grade students (aged 8-11). We found that students most often drew male computer scientists working alone. Students had a basic understanding of what computer scientists do, but the DACST did not always capture the nuances involved in this work. Commonly drawn actions included programming websites, games, and animations. Some students drew positive expressions of excitement around programming. A small percentage of students confused “computer scientist” and “scientist.”

Authors

• Alexandria Killian Hansen, University of California - Santa Barbara

• Hilary Dwyer, University of California - Santa Barbara

• Danielle Boyd Harlow, University of California - Santa Barbara

• Diana Franklin, University of California - Santa Barbara