"I'm Just a Girl": Gender, Competition, and Entry in Computer Science Education

• In Event: Sheraton Roundtable Session 40
  In Roundtable Session: Gender, STEM, and Counterstories In Education

Abstract

In spite of three decades of policy and research efforts to broaden participation in computer science education (CSE), the number of women, and in particular women of color, in computer science (CS) and CSE is not only one of the worst in STEM related fields but continues to decline. This paper uses feminist constructivist technology studies (FCTS) as a primary analytical approach to explore how gender and technology co-construct each other within the contexts of computer science education. FCTS provides an alternative lens with which to make sense of the underrepresentation of women in CSE. As such, our findings provide new insights into the recruitment, retention, and persistence of women in CSE.

Authors

• Christina Convertino, The University of Texas - El Paso

• Ashley Graboski-Bauer, The University of Texas - El Paso