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Using life course theory to frame women and girls' trajectories toward (or away) from computing: Pre high-school through college years

  • Purdue University

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

10 Scopus citations

Abstract

In this study, life course theory was used to synthesize research on women's underrepresentation in computing across 4 stages of their academic trajectory: pre high-school, high-school, college recruitment, and college retention. The Association for Computing Machinery and IEEE Explore databases, as well as select journals that publish on women in computing, were searched for relevant work. The synthesis reveals issues of use and access at early ages; several efforts at interventions at the pre high-school and high-school stage; the influence of stereotypical images of computing at the college recruitment stage; and exclusionary behavior and women's computing self efficacy as important issues at the retention stage. Similarities and differences across these stages are discussed, and recommendations are made for future work based on the synthesis and life course framework.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publication2015 IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference
Subtitle of host publicationLaunching a New Vision in Engineering Education, FIE 2015 - Proceedings
PublisherInstitute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.
ISBN (Electronic)9781479984534
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 2 2015
Event2015 IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference, FIE 2015 - El Paso, United States
Duration: Oct 21 2015Oct 24 2015

Publication series

NameProceedings - Frontiers in Education Conference, FIE
Volume2015
ISSN (Print)1539-4565

Conference

Conference2015 IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference, FIE 2015
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityEl Paso
Period10/21/1510/24/15

Keywords

  • computer education
  • life course theory
  • underrepresentation
  • women and girls in computing

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