Why Can’t a Woman Fail Like a Man? Gender Differences in Perceived Competence Following a Mistake

Stereotypes are pervasive and can significantly influence the way we perceive and evaluate others. When people occupy roles that are not congruent with stereotypes (such as a stay-at-home dad or a female CEO), past research has suggested that they are evaluated more harshly than those in roles that are stereotype-congruent. The present study examined the role of gender stereotypes by asking participants to read a vignette about a college student and their performance in a class. In these vignettes, the student’s major and gender were manipulated such that there were students in gender stereotype-congruent majors (female nursing major, male computer science major) and students in stereotype-incongruent majors (female computer science major, male nursing major). Participants were then asked to evaluate the student’s performance, providing rating of competence, status, and likeability. Analyses revealed that there was no significant effect of stereotype-congruence on evaluations, a finding inconsistent with prior work. This discrepancy is discussed in light of differences in participants’ familiarity with the role and job of the person being evaluated

Effect of Gender on Students’ Academic Performance in Computer Studies in Secondary Schools in New Bussa, Borgu Local Government of Niger State

This research studied the relationship between student’s gender and academic performance in computer science in New Bussa, Borgu local government of Niger state. Questionnaire which consist of 30 multiple-choice items drawn from Senior School Certificate Examination past questions as set by the West Africa Examination Council in 2014 multiple choice past question was used as the research instrument consist. The questionnaire was administered to 275 students from both private and public schools in the study area. The students’ responses were marked and scored, afterward analysed using independent t-test. The results of the study showed that even though the male students had slightly better performance compared to the female students, it was not significant. This better performance was found to be pronounced in the private school which was shown to possess the best male brains found in the study area. Based on the findings of this study, recommendations were made. Parents are encouraged to provide the right education they can afford for their children irrespective of gender. Also, there should be a deliberate Federal Government policy to encourage absorbance of female students into further study in computer science. Furthermore, it was recommended that stake holders in the education industry should make use of these findings and try to research into ways of making gender sensitive policies. Keywords: Effect, Gender, Academic, Performance, Computer Studies, Secondary School

COMPUTER SCIENCE EXPERIENCE AT WPI

This report addresses issues related to confidence in Computer Science, and how it affects performance and the decision to take Computer Science courses. Our aim with this project was to gather data on this issue broadly, and specifically at WPI, todetermine how much confidence affects people and what has been done to mitigate this issue elsewhere. A survey was distributed to WPI students to collect data on how confidence affects Computer Science of WPI. Our report concludes with several solutions that worked at other schools to improve performance and diversity. It was found that confidence in computing ability varied by gender, ethnicity, and major where the minority group or groups in each of those categories had lower confidence in their computing ability

Effects of Computer-Based Simulations Teaching Approach on Students’ Achievement in the Learning of Chemistry among Secondary School Students in Nakuru Sub County, Kenya

Science education should help develop student’s interest in science as today’s society depends largely on output of science and technology. Chemistry is one of the branches of science. Chemistry education helps to expand the pupil's knowledge of the universe and of his/her position in it. It helps in the appreciation and enjoyment of nature and life. Chemistry also prepares learners for professional careers in such fields as medicine, bio-technology, agriculture and pharmacy. Despite the importance attached to Chemistry, students’ performance in the subject at the national examinations in many countries Kenya included has remained poor. The poor performance can be attributed to type of teaching method among others factors. Computer-based instruction may help address this problem of teaching method. However there is little information on how computer-based learning as a teaching method in chemistry would affect learners’ achievement by gender. In an attempt to address this issue this study therefore aimed at finding out effects of Computer-Based Simulations on secondary schools students’ achievement in Chemistry in Kenya. The study involved quasi-experimental research in which the researcher used Solomon Four Non- Equivalent Control Group Design.  Four co-educational schools in Nakuru East Sub-County were purposively selected and a sample size of 175 students participated in the study. In this study data were collected using instruments Chemistry Achievement Test (CAT) to assess the students’ achievement level. The findings of the study were there was statistically significant difference in Chemistry achievement of students who are taught through CBS teaching approach and that of those taught through regular teaching method. There is no statistically significant difference in Chemistry achievement between boys and girls taught through CBS teaching approach. It was therefore concluded that CBS has a positive and significant contribution to the understanding of chemistry concepts and principles as reflected by the higher performance of students taught using CBS than their counterparts taught using RTM. Gender has no effect on students’ achievement in Chemistry when they are taught through CBS. Keywords: Chemistry, Science, Computer-based Learning, Gender and Achievemen

Comparative Study of Male and Female Students’ Performance in Science Laboratory Technology, Rivers State Polytechnic, Bori, Nigeria (A 5 year Case Study).

The controversial discussion on the topic of gender and academic performance in sciences has stirred up much debate. It has been reported that gender difference in enrolment in advance mathematics course is influenced by perceived value of competence. It has been proposed that very few women have been found in graduate programs and professions in computer sciences, physics and technology. These courses, along with chemistry and biological sciences, make up the Science Laboratory Technology department in Rivers State Polytechnic. This research therefore seeks to find the relationship between gender and performances in the fields of Science Laboratory Technology in Rivers State Polytechnic, Bori, Nigeria. For the purpose of this study, a descriptive survey method was used. Secondary data in form of students’ results for the past five years was obtained from the Exams and Records department of Rivers State polytechnic. Enrolment, performance and graduation trends based on gender and courses offered were investigated at both the National Diploma and the Higher National Diploma levels. The result showed that enrolment of female students is higher in both National Diploma and Higher National Diploma levels, an average of 61.9% and 62.4% respectively of total enrolment, within the period under study. At the National Diploma and Higher National Diploma levels, 38.1% and 37.8% enrolment was recorded for the males respectively. AnalysIs of performance did not show any noticeable gender bias. Graduation ratio was significantly higher for female students when compared to their male counter parts. Keywords: Gender, Science Laboratory Technology, Performance, Enrolment, Graduation, Female students, Male students

Showing Up is Half the Battle: Assessing Different Contextualized Learning Tools to Increase the Performance in Introductory Computer Science Courses

Contextualized learning is considered beneficial for student success. In this article, we assess the impact of context-based learning tools on student grade performance in an introductory computer science course. In particular, we investigate two central questions: (1) does the use context-based learning tools, robots and animations, affect student performance? (2) How do age, gender, and ethnicity impact performance? To explore these questions, we compare the impact of educational robots in conjunction with animations against a second group of students who use only animations, while controlling for the effects of gender and ethnicity. We find that the addition of robots did not improve the students’ performance in our setting. Instead, our findings support the existing literature stating that gender and ethnicity are important predictors of student success. We also find that attendance is a strong predictor of student success

Essays on Gender and Education

Chapter 1 studies the change in women’s college major choices in response to the dot-com crash. Although the dot-com crash had similar labor market effects for new graduates in engineering and computer science, it had different effects on who chose each major: women disproportionately left computer science, but not engineering. I investigate the mechanism behind the gender difference in reaction to the dot-com crash using administrative data on students from a four-year public university. At said university, the gender gap in grades (in favor of men) is larger in computer science than engineering. I estimate a structural model of major choice where students choose a major to maximize expected lifetime utility, conditional on grades, the labor market, and other factors. I find that if the distribution of grades had been the same in engineering and computer science, the gender difference in reaction to the dot-com crash would have been 33 to 42% smaller, suggesting that students reacted to the dot-com crash in accordance with their perceived comparative advantage. My results suggest that grades are an important component in retaining women in computer science degree programs. Universities hoping to encourage women to major in computer science should investigate the sources of gender gaps in STEM grades and work to help women improve their performance. Chapter 2 studies the change in women’s college major choices induced by the introduction of male peers. Researchers have speculated gender differences in labor market decisions may originate in part from psycho-social factors such as gender norms and competition, many of which become more relevant to women when they are in more male environments. We leverage a unique setting that generated variation in women’s exposure to male peers: colleges that transitioned from women-only to coeducation. At such colleges, we observe a steady de- crease in the share of women majoring in STEM over the decade following the transition to coeducation. This corresponds to a 17% decrease in the share of women majoring in STEM for a 10 percentage point increase in the male share of the graduating class. Our results are driven primarily by peer rather than by role-model effects. Our results suggest that women’s human capital investments are affected by the gender mix of their fellow students and have implications for gender gaps in the labor market. Chapter 3 studies long-run changes in men’s and women’s choices of college major over time, in particular whether a Schelling tipping pattern exists in the gender composition of college majors. I build a framework that can produce a tipping pattern in the gender composition of college majors. However, I find that no evidence of a tipping pattern in college major. By relaxing two assumptions in previous tipping models, I explain theoretically why tipping may not occur in this context. I test the modified framework and find that the lack of tipping is most likely explained by men facing only small utility costs of being in highly female majors.PHDEconomicsUniversity of Michigan, Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studieshttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/163214/1/arcal_1.pd

AN EVALUATION OF STUDENTS’ GENERAL INTEREST IN COMPUTER STUDIES AND ITS IMPACT ON SUBJECT PERFORMANCE IN ADO LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF EKITI STATE, NIGERIA

This research work examined the effect of attitudes on performance of pupils in computer studies in Ekiti State SecondarySchools. The research work critically examined whether there is any correlation between the attitudes of students and theirperformance in computer studies. The research instrument that was used in the study was the questionnaire for both the studentsand the teachers in the selected secondary schools which was validated by the researcher’s supervisor. Chi-square was used toanalyze the data collected. The sample consisted of one hundred and fifty students and ten teachers from five carefully selectedsecondary schools from Ado Local Government Area of Ekiti State Nigeria . The result of the analysis showed that attitude is onecogent factor that influences performance, that there is no gender discrimination in the attitude of students towards computerstudies, that teacher’s qualification and instructional materials available also influence the attitudes of students. Based on thefindings of this study, recommendations were made. The government should organize seminars to upgrade and update teachersknowledge. The use of instructional materials is emphasized to motivate students and also the teaching methods must bereviewed so that there will lasting impression on students. There should be no gender discrimination in providing opportunitiesand scholarships for further studies in computer science and related disciplines.Keywords: . Evaluation, Students, Interest, Computer Studies, Subject and Performance

Yes you can, follow your goals! Individual Coaching for female Computer scientists on career development

[EN] Earlier results show that female computer scientists show a lower self-efficacy compared to male colleagues. Similarly, gender-typical attributions, in the sense of gender stereotypes, are considered a disorder. As a result, a coaching program that supports computer scientists after a re-entry into professional life also, in a new orientation or with regard to management ambitions has been developed at the University of <blinded>. The measure strengthens computer scientists in their motivational resources and enables them to take advantage of professional opportunities. A scientifically founded analysis of their potential helps the coachees to become aware of their abilities and competences. The coaching program based on the potential analysis, takes important life goals of the coachees into account. Individual career plans are developed in coaching sessions, including a clear definition of the objective and implementation strategy. An open and modern corporate culture offers new opportunities of career paths for female computer scientists. If the company philosophy is based on appreciation of good performance, women in computer science are more motivated strengthen their career ambitions.   Keywords: Women in computer science; self-efficacy beliefs; potential analysis; individual coaching;career developmenthttp://ocs.editorial.upv.es/index.php/HEAD/HEAD18Förtsch, S. (2018). Yes you can, follow your goals! Individual Coaching for female Computer scientists on career development. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 533-541. https://doi.org/10.4995/HEAD18.2018.8031OCS53354