Considering the Global Impacts of Technology to Alter the Perceptions of Middle School Students about the Field of Computer Science: Reconsidering Stereotypes

Autor/in	Barrett, Joanne R.
Titel	Considering the Global Impacts of Technology to Alter the Perceptions of Middle School Students about the Field of Computer Science: Reconsidering Stereotypes
Quelle	(2017), (211 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit Ph.D. Dissertation, University of Florida
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Monographie
ISBN	978-0-4381-2030-3
Schlagwörter	Hochschulschrift; Dissertation; Computer Science Education; Equal Education; Sex Fairness; Females; Minority Group Students; Barriers; Sex Stereotypes; Middle School Students; Disproportionate Representation; Student Recruitment; Student Interests; Attitude Change; Student Attitudes; Career Choice + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Thesis; Dissertations; Academic thesis; Computer science lessons; Informatikunterricht; Sexualaufklärung; Weibliches Geschlecht; Middle school; Middle schools; Student; Students; Mittelschule; Mittelstufenschule; Schüler; Schülerin; Studieninteresse; Attitudinal change; Einstellungsänderung; Schülerverhalten
Abstract	Today we are faced with a shortage of qualified candidates for the growing computer science occupations that are among the fastest growing fields in our nation. A current shortage of students in the educational pipeline coupled with a lack of diversity in the field is impacting our technological growth and expansion. It has been suggested that it is in our best interests as a nation to attract more women and minorities to the field so that we can insure the global awareness and advantages that diversity supports. Therefore it is important that we look for ways to increase and maintain diversity into the pipeline. Historically barriers to entry for gender equality have included the beliefs that computing is for boys and the stereotypes about nerds created a hostile environment for girls. Similarly a lack of understanding of the field and what it has to offer limits student selections. Career theory indicates that students begin to form their career aspirations as early as middle school. For this reason, a middle school science class (N = 71) was selected for an intervention utilizing the global impacts unit, one of the big ideas from the Computer Science Principles (CSP) course released by the College Board. The goal of the course is to attract underrepresented students to the field of computing. Modifications were made to focus on the global impacts unit of computing coupled with mentor interview opportunities. The perceptions of eighth grade students were evaluated with surveys and student created artifacts. As a result of the intervention students showed their perceptions had changed about the global nature of the field and their understanding of what computer scientists do in their jobs. While only three percent of the students were aware of the gender disparities that existed in the field prior to the intervention, by the end of the intervention over half of the students acknowledged the problem in either the survey or artifacts. There was a statistically significant shift in the students indicating that they would consider taking a computer science course in the future. Implications and recommendations are provided. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.] (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2020/1/01