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Avoiding Barriers: A Literature Review on the Alternative Pathways for Women in Computer Science

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Conference

2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Location

Minneapolis, MN

Publication Date

August 23, 2022

Start Date

June 26, 2022

End Date

June 29, 2022

Conference Session

WIED: Support for All in the WIED Community

Page Count

14

DOI

10.18260/1-2--41482

Permanent URL

https://peer.asee.org/41482

Download Count

499

Paper Authors

biography

Jia Zhu Florida International University

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Jia Zhu is a Ph.D. cadidate in the Knight Foundation School of Computing and Information Science at Florida International University (FIU). Her research interests include computer science education, educational data mining, and data science, with a focus on broadening participation in computing.

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biography

Monique Ross Florida International University

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Assistant Professor, Knight Foundation School of Computing and Information Sciences and STEM Transformation Institute at Florida International University, research interests include broadening participation in computing through the exploration of: 1) race, gender, and identity in the academy and industry; 2) discipline-based education research that informs pedagogical practices that garner interest and retain women and minorities in computer-related fields. She uses her scholarship to challenge the perceptions of who belong in computing.

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Disha Patel Florida International University

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Disha Patel, is a PhD student in the Knight foundation School of Computing and Information Sciences at Florida International University (FIU). Her research interests include studying the impact of social media on women's participation in computing, and broadening the participation of underrepresented minorities in computer science education through alternative pathways.

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Abstract

Challenges remain in fulfilling skilled professionals to meet the growing demand for the computing workforce. Computer and information technology occupations are projected to grow at an above-average rate of 13% from 2020 to 2030. To meet the need for computer science jobs, the computer science education research (CSER) community has explored pedagogical theories and practices to prepare students for careers in the field. However, the focus has been on populations of students at K-12 and/or college levels who have gone through several years of development before they can enter the workforce. The study of alternative pathways to computer science is facing an urgent need and presents a faster solution to allow the working-age population to advance careers in this field. This is especially true for women, who have traditionally been underrepresented in this area due to the prevalence of gender disparities in computing.

Therefore, this article presents a review of the literature on pathways for women entering computer science (CS) after earning a degree in another discipline. Through this review, we assess the landscape of literature related to pathways for women entering CS at any point after their earned undergraduate degree (in another field) and identify any gaps in current research. Our results suggest that coding bootcamps and second-degree programs are the common alternative pathways presented in the literature. The results indicate that there is a lack of rigorous studies in this area since limited research methods have been applied and very few of the studies included theoretical frameworks. In addition, this review will shed light on the challenges and implications of women's alternative pathways to CS, to better understand and avoid the barriers to broadening participation.

Zhu, J., & Ross, M., & Patel, D. (2022, August), Avoiding Barriers: A Literature Review on the Alternative Pathways for Women in Computer Science Paper presented at 2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Minneapolis, MN. 10.18260/1-2--41482

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