This article approaches the problem of underrepresentation of women and marginalized ethnic groups in the computer science fields from a developmental learning perspective. It proposes that systemic social barriers need to be addressed to overcome the bias toward women in the technological fields. The article surmises that even though stereotypes…

Efforts to increase the participation of groups historically underrepresented in computing studies, and in the computing workforce, are well documented. It is a national effort with funding from a variety of sources being allocated to research in broadening participation in computing (BPC). Many of the BPC efforts are funded by the National…

The proportion of women in the IT sector is decreasing. In schools, girls tend to stay away from IT or take on roles in softer activities such as digital safety, social media. Studying and working in IT requires technical skillset. At the same time, the sector would need people with people and organizational skills as well. Technical skills can be…

Improving equity and inclusion for underrepresented groups in the field of Computer Science (CS) has garnered much attention. In particular, there is a long-standing need for diversity efforts that center on the experiences of Black women, and specific actions to increase their representation--especially given the biases that they often encounter…

Despite efforts to increase representation among those enrolled, earning degrees, and working in the computing and technology industry, women across races/ethnicities and People of Color more broadly remain underrepresented in the field. Fortunately, extant literature has found that psychosocial factors like computing identity can help broaden…

The under-representation of women in the field of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths (STEM) is of great concern in South Africa. Despite the efforts made by the government to improve access to education for learners from previously disadvantaged communities, South African Black women are still under-represented in STEM fields. The present…

This study puts forth the counternarrative of the first author Gislaine, a first-generation undergraduate student, Latina, and computer science major. Gislaine participated in a research internship and STEM mentorship program led by the second author, Meredith. Through this program, Gislaine designed and taught CS lessons to predominantly…

Entrenched in whiteness and toxic masculinity, the computing field makes it difficult for Latina students to see themselves in computing careers. This phenomenological study explored computing identity development for Latina students at a Hispanic-serving community college (HSCC). Latina students emphasized the importance of leveraging competence…

Social network analysis involves delicate and sophisticated mathematical concepts which are abstract and challenging to acquire by traditional methods. Many studies show that female students perform poorly in computer science-related courses compared to male students. To address these issues, this research investigates the impact of employing a…

This dissertation investigates the issue of gender stratification within engineering and other STEM-related fields. The dissertation is divided into three articles that address different aspects of the problem and propose potential solutions. Article 1 explores the persistent gender imbalance within STEM fields, particularly in engineering and…

Computer science (CS) has been identified as one of the fastest-growing professions, with demand for CS professionals far outpacing the supply of CS graduates. The necessity for a trained CS workforce has compelled industry and academia to evaluate strategies for broadening participation in CS. The current literature in CS education emphasizes the…

The purpose of this qualitative research study was to investigate and interpret the influence of the lived experiences of women who have successfully pursued and persisted in a computer science career. The planned study utilized the Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis research method consistent with Smith et al. (2012). The research methods,…

The problem of gender disparity in computer science and engineering has persisted despite longstanding efforts made in higher education. This study drew data from ten female computer science and engineering faculty in China and Italy to demonstrate the gender-specific challenges they face. The researcher applied positioning theory to analyse…

The gender imbalance in computer science (CS) is one of the most challenging issues in American education. CS is the only science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) field in which women's representation has steadily declined in recent decades. In this study, we explored one potential approach that could be effective in increasing…

This qualitative case study describes how participation in an outside-of-school program sustained middle school girls' interest in computer science and positively influenced their computational perspectives. Data consists of interviews, observations, and videos analyzed from ten girls participating in a nine-month program during 2017-2018.…