The Right Messages from the Right Messengers: Increasing Girls’ Interest in Coding with Peer Videos

• In Event: Messages, Pedagogies, and Identities: Building Belonging for Diverse Learners

Abstract

Women are consistently underrepresented in computer science fields. Girls and young women may benefit from the message that computer science is an interesting field in which they can succeed. A preregistered experimental study (N = 263) explored the influence of peer role models on middle school students' computer science/coding (CS) motivation and course enrollment. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: no video, a video highlighting girls’ interest in CS, or a video highlighting girls’ success in CS. Girls who watched peer role model videos had higher CS motivation and were more likely to enroll in a CS elective. This study provides causal evidence that peer role models in CS can help remove barriers for girls.

Authors

• Summer Robinson, University of Houston

• Kahyun Lee, University of Houston

• Jennifer L. Thompson, University of Houston

• Taylor Alexander, Digital Promise

• Shaila Sharmin, University of Houston

• Andrew N. Meltzoff, University of Washington

• Sapna Cheryan, University of Washington - Seattle

• Weihua Fan, University of Houston

• Allison Master, University of Houston