Gender and Introductory Computer Science: Course Climate Perceptions, Motivation, and Intentions

• In Event: Understanding Individual and Contextual Predictors of Students' STEM Major Intention and Promoting Diversity in STEM

Abstract

Objectives. Student perceptions of instruction are important socializing forces for students’ situated motivational outcomes in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) studies (Canning et al., 2019; Dicke et al., 2021). In particular, students’ perceptions of teachers’ classroom enthusiasm, warmth, and promotion of a collaborative environment are assumed to positively inform students’ motivation to pursue STEM (Patrick et al., 2000; Schenke et al., 2015).
Gender gaps in STEM motivation and representation suggest motivational processes may differ for men and women (Murphy et al., 2019; Robinson et al., 2022). To date, the contextual factors that explain these gender differences remain underexplored. To address this gap in the literature and move toward more equitable design of university STEM classrooms, we pursued the following research questions:

Research Question 1. Do students’ perceptions of instructor enthusiasm and collaboration support predict their STEM motivation, grades, and major intentions?
Research Question 2. Do means and structural relations among these motivational processes differ by gender?

Theoretical framework. According to situated expectancy-value theory (SEVT), the social environment is integral to students’ development of task values and expectancy beliefs (Eccles & Wigfield, 2020), with perceptions acting as the vital link between instructional supports and student outcomes. Understanding gender difference in the amounts and roles of key motivational processes will allow for more nuanced understandings of how students might respond differently to instructional practices in computer science and whether those reactions inform their achievement and choices to pursue these fields.

Method. Data was collected in two introductory computer science courses (N = 831; 45.4% female). At mid-semester, students reported their perceptions of the instructors’ warmth & enthusiasm (8 items, α = .92) and fostering of collaborative climate (4 items, α = .83). At the end of the semester, students reported their task values (e.g., 14 items, α = .87-.94), expectancies for success (5 items, α = .92) and major intentions. Students’ final course grades were gathered from the instructors.
Results. Structural equation modeling results (Table 1, Figure 1) indicated that students’ perceptions of instructor enthusiasm and collaborative climate positively predicted their expectancies and task values. Students’ end-of-semester motivation positively predicted their major intentions and final course grade. Multigroup analyses by gender yielded no significant differences in structural relations; however, women reported higher perceptions of instructor warmth and enthusiasm than men, along with lower levels of self-efficacy at the end of the semester. Both men and women demonstrated similar major intentions and course achievement.

Significance. Building on prior research, the findings of this paper contribute key evidence that women and men perceive contextual supports in STEM differently (Pasha-Zaidi & Afari, 2016; Robinson & Lee, 2022). Interestingly, despite their higher perceived instructor warmth and enthusiasm, women reported lower confidence than men. Considering that perceived contextual supports appeared to relate similarly to outcomes for men and women, it may be that women’s self-efficacy would have been even lower if they perceived less support. Future investigations, perhaps using experimental methods, are needed to understand how women’s computer science self-efficacy can be boosted through instructional practices.

Authors

• So Yeon Lee, McGill University
  Presenting Author

• Cole D. Johnson, McGill University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Kristy A. Robinson, McGill University
  Non-Presenting Author