Differences between the genders in ICT skills for Finnish upper comprehensive school students: Does gender matter?

This study examined the ICT skills of Finnish upper comprehensive school students. The data has been collected from 65 municipalities around Finland for 5455 ninth graders (mean age 15.24). ICT skills were measured using a digital, performance-based ICT skill test. The test was based on the revised Finnish national core curriculum for basic education. Based on the results, there was a small, but statistically, significant difference between the genders in the total scores on the ICT skill test. More consequential differences between the genders were found in the item level analysis. As explicit item level analysis indicated, boys tended to get better scores from more technical-oriented items, while girls got better scores from school work-oriented and social interactionrelated items. The results emphasize that gender differences in ICT skills are more item specific than general. More importantly, the variation between individuals in ICT skill items was extensive and in all likelihood more influential than the gender difference as such.</p

Gender-Inclusive HCI Research and Design: A Conceptual Review

Previous research has investigated gender and its implications for HCI. We consider inclusive design of technology whatever the gender of its users of particular importance. This conceptual review provides an overview of the motivations that have driven research in gender and inclusive HCI design. We review the empirical evidence for the impact of gender in thinking and behavior which underlies HCI research and design. We then present how HCI design might inadvertently embed and perpetuate gender stereotypes. We then present current HCI design approaches to tackle gender stereotypes and to produce gender-inclusive designs. We conclude by discussing possible future directions in this area

Assessing and Expanding Extracurricular Cybersecurity Youth Activities\u27 Impact on Career Interest

This thesis assesses and expands the potential of extracurricular activities to address the shortage of cybersecurity workers by increasing secondary school students’ interest in these careers. Competitions and badges, two forms of gamification often applied in extracurricular educational activities, have potential to improve motivation and increase interest in related careers, but are significantly understudied in the context of cybersecurity activities. CyberPatriot is the largest cybersecurity competition in the United States for secondary school students. Impact on participants’ career interests is assessed by analyzing responses to recent surveys conducted by the competition organizers. Analysis demonstrates significantly increased interest in cybersecurity in several dimensions relevant to career selection, significantly larger increases for females than males, and persistence of increased interest over time. A survey of U.S. Air Force enlisted members is designed to gauge the impact of cyber-related education activities on developing its cyber workforce. Cybersecurity activity options are expanded by creating a flexible age-appropriate digital forensics activity in which students analyze forensic evidence in folders and files, reconstructing user activity to answer some basic questions. A cybersecurity merit badge is proposed for the Boy Scouts of America with suggested requirements modeled on other successful technology-related merit badges

Undergraduate Students’ Perceptions of the Impact of Pre-College Computing Activities on Choices of Major

A lack of diversity in the computing field has existed for several decades, and although female participation in computing remains low, outreach programs attempting to address the situation are now quite numerous. To begin to understand whether or not these past activities have had long-term impact, we conducted a systematic literature review. Upon discovering that longitudinal studies were lacking, we investigated whether undergraduate students believed that their participation in computing activities prior to college contributed to their decision to major in a computing field. From the 770 participants in the study, we discovered that approximately 20% of males and 24% of females who were required to participate in computing activities chose a computing or related major, but that males perceived that the activity had a greater affect on their decision (20%) than females (6.9%).Females who participated in an outreach activity were more likely to major in computing. Compared with females who chose to major in computing, females who did not were less likely to indicate that the majority of students participating in activities were boys and that they were a welcome part of the groups. Results also showed that female participants who do not ultimately major in computing have a much stronger negative perception of the outreach activities than male participants who also chose a non-computing major. Although many computing outreach activities are designed to diversify computing, it may be the case that, overall, boys receive these activities more favorably than girls, although requiring participation yields approximately the same net positive impact

Choosing Information Systems as a Major: Factors that Influence Selection

The purpose of this study was to examine student perceptions of factors affecting the decision to select information systems as an undergraduate major. Additionally, information systems students were compared to other business students to see if significant differences existed between groups. The four factors studied included: (a) personal interest in the major, (b) student competence, (c) value and utility, and (d) external influences of other people and academic experiences. A convenience sample was used at a public university in the Southeastern region of the United States. Two hundred junior/senior students were selected as participants. One hundred of the students were information systems students, and 100 were from other business majors. Both descriptive statistics and inferential statistics, including t-tests, were conducted to determine which factors influenced major selection and to see if statistically significant differences were observed between groups of students. The findings suggested that the profile of an information systems student was male, Caucasian, and 20-24 years of age. Participants generally selected their major in the freshman or sophomore year of college. As suggested by several other studies, student personal interest in the subject appeared to be the most important factor. Interest was generated in large part by being good in high school math and computers and enjoyment in using computers. Those students interested in information systems recognized that the major was more than coding and programming. It was also determined that many information systems students secured information about the major from the Internet, and they did not rely heavily on parents or other people to assist them in deciding on their major. Another factor influencing information systems students to select their major was their perceived competence in the subject matter, including academic performance and level of confidence. Students opting for other majors suggested that information systems were influenced by the value and utility of an information systems degree. These participants acknowledged that the degree led to immediate jobs, career opportunities, and good salaries

Female computer science and engineering undergraduates: reflections on participation in the academic landscape

Women continue to be underrepresented in computer science and technology related fields despite their significant contributions. The lack of diversity in technology related fields is problematic as it can result in the perpetuation of negative stereotypes and closed-minded, unchecked biases. As technology tools become integral to our daily lives it is essential that a diverse group of people contribute to the sociocultural environments where we participate and live. This dissertation is a phenomenological, interview-based, study designed to investigate the lived experience of women in undergraduate computer science and engineering programs. The purpose of this study was to better understand the factors that might encourage or discourage the participation women in the major and in the field. In order to grow the number of women in technical fields it is important to first understand what attracts them to the field and what supports they find helpful or not helpful. This study illuminated some recommendations that might guide the work of practitioners in secondary schools as well as higher education. Among other things, participants appreciated being challenged by the content and assignments, feeling support from faculty and peers, feeling a connection to the culture, effective encouragement to persist, and engaging interactions. All of the participants described having gone into their field to make a positive impact on society and they also all described the importance having at least one supportive female mentor. Participants described the importance of having spaces where they felt included and appreciated their professors and peers who pushed back against the historical CS-world stereotypes. While the experience of each participant was unique, and there were some very negative experiences, all six participants reported having mostly positive experience in their undergraduate programs

Factors that influence students to choose cybersecurity careers: An exploratory study

Despite the strong, global demand for talented workers, higher than average salaries, and relatively low education requirements (bachelor’s degree) for computing fields such as cybersecurity, there continues to be a pipeline issue with graduating enough workers educated in cybersecurity to fill the demand in the United States and globally (Information Security Analysts, 2019; Morgan, 2017). At the same time, while there is significant literature related to factors that influence students to choose STEM careers more generally, there appears to be a lack of literature that addresses factors that influence students to choose a career in cybersecurity. This lack of literature limits our understanding of what interventions and programs may improve the cybersecurity pipeline issue. This study utilized a mixed-methods case study approach with the goal of providing insight into what factors influenced students in an accredited university cybersecurity program to choose cybersecurity as their career. The study also sought to better understand what aspects of cybersecurity the students found most and least interesting. Twenty-nine new cybersecurity students and 10 information systems students completed a mixed-methods survey, and five faculty at the Midwestern university were interviewed. Key findings suggest strong themes of factors that influence students to choose cybersecurity careers and these students’ interests in traditional computing subjects as well as subjects specific to cybersecurity. Differences in influencing factors, interests, barriers, and obstacles amongst female and minority students suggest unique considerations and challenges