Post on 03-Jan-2016
International Perspective
of Women and Computer
Science Elizabeth S. Adams ,James Madison U., USA
Orit Hazzan, Technion – IIT, Israel
Hrafn Loftsson, Reykjavik University, Iceland
Alison Young, UNITEC, New Zealand
Introduction• The topic of women in computer science
has recently been getting attention:
– Special issue of the SIGCSE Bulletin inroads
(Vol. 34, Number 2, June 2002).
– Margolis, J., & Fisher, A. (2002). Unlocking the
clubhouse – Women in computing. MIT press.
• The panel aims to highlight the topic from
multi-national perspective.
Panel Overview
• Panelists’ presentations (12 minutes each)
• Discussion with the audience (25 minutes)
– Identify common interests
– Check an international
• agenda
• research framework
with respect to the topic
Panelists
Elizabeth S. Adams ,James Madison U., USA
Orit Hazzan, Technion – IIT, Israel
Hrafn Loftsson, Reykjavik University, Iceland
Alison Young, UNITEC, New Zealand
Hi-Tech in Israel
• Population of Israel: 6,458 Million
• In the 1990s, Israel emerged as a leading
center for technology start-ups and innovation
• In the hi-tech peak:
– About 3000 startups.
– July 2000: There were 700 openings for every
software engineer.
Hi-Tech in Israel – Why?
• National security and military needs:
– Many of Israel's high-tech entrepreneurs got their
start in the Israel Defense Forces
– The IDF influence of the Israeli hi-tech
• Technological influence: reserve forces
• Social influence: machoism, network, improvisation
• Immigration of Russian engineers from the
former Soviet Union in last decade.
– Highest number of engineers per capita (worldwide)
Hi-Tech in Israel
Currently:
– The worldwide economic crisis
– The political situation in the Middle East
Data from Israel
•High schools:
– Levels, other subjects, different schools
•Universities:
– Technion, Bar-Ilan
Israel: CS Matriculation exam - % of female
5 units (high) 3 units (low)
26.6% 53.2%
51.9%27.1%
51.9%27.3%
46.4%26.2%
46.0%27.3%
47.0%29.5%
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
Data from Israeli high schools:
Matriculation exams ‘99 - Highest
level
BibleLiterature
MathCS
Boys
2,538
(39%)
757
(16%)
5,602
(57%)
3,990
(72%)
Girls
3,992
(61%)
4,041
(84%)
4,179
(43%)
1,538
(28%)
Data from Israel• 3 schools
• The data were gathered by teachers– Public (Jewish) sector
– Arab sector
– Religious sector
• The previous data (25% learn 5 units) is not
reflected in all schools
• Specific sectors change the balance.
• Note: Not all schools were checked. The observation is
correct with respect to all schools that were checked.
Data from Israel Number of students who learn 5 units
Public high-school in Tel-Aviv
Graduation year
Male students
Female students
19973312
19983310
1999299
2000326
2001355
Data from IsraelNumber of students who learn 5 units
Arab high-school in Nazareth
Graduation year
Male students
Female students
19972826
19983130
19992834
20003634
20013531
Data from Israel
Number of students who learn 5 units
Religious high-school in the north of Israel
Graduation year
Male students
Female students
19971514
19981213
19991216
200086
200158
Data from IsraelTechnion: CS graduates
year #graduates #women %women
19971272318
19981622415
19991924423
20002425221
20012727026
Data from IsraelBar-Ilan university
• Religious university
• 2002: Major in Computer Science
– Total: 337 student
– # of female students: 128
– % of female students: 38%
Data from the World
– USA: The shrinking pipeline
1994-1983 2002-1993
– Mauritius: 2K km from Africa (talk in the next session) High and increased %s (~50%)
37
28
18
16
Data from the World• Similar to US: Scandinavia, German countries.
• Similar to Mauritius: Greece,Turkey
• Does the phenomenon of minority of
women in Computer Science
characterize cultures that are influenced
by the US?
• If yes – why?
Tmura (Change) Project activities
• Data collection (by us and by
teachers)
• Workshops for teachers
• Interviews
• Questionnaires
• Class Observations
Teacher workshop: Activities
GirlsBoysBoth genders
Encourage
Discourage
Factors that encourage/discourage girls and boys from choosing CS.
Some data• Example from one of the workshops:
# of factors that influence the selection of CS in high school
GirlsBoysBoth genders
Encourage 014
Discourage713
Some Data
GirlsBoysBoth genders
Encourage 0
• Hi-tech• Bill Gates
• Cool
• A lot of money
• Dynamic career
Discourage
7 Next Slide
• Requires a lot of work
• High requirements• The hi-tech crisis
• Example from one of the workshops:Factors that influence the selection of CS in high school
Some Data
Factors that discourage girls from learning
CS:
• A technological field
• The male image of the field
• Culture (boys get Lego, girls get Barbie)
• Principals, teachers, advisors’ influence
• Requires a lot of work
• Fear of learning a topic that they will not succeed
in
• Connection to the kind of work in the future
Findings
• Teacher explanations: Why do girls not choose CS?
– Emotional (e.g., fear from failure)
– Cognitive (e.g., it’s difficult)
– Pedagogical (e.g., the learning environment)
– Social (e.g., the nature of the profession)
• Teacher explanations of these kinds appear in
all activities.