- majority (84%) of teachers had elective Digital Technology classes where females were very few (<10%) or minority (10-20%)
- teachers reported perception that females lack positive computer science experience, experience stigma and intimidation
- has been governmental action in Australia recently to support women in STEM (national Digital Technology curriculum in 2014 and 2015, National Innovation and Science Agenda)


Macrosystem Results

- Office for Women in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet has initiatives supporting women in STEM
- 1/3 of teachers requested further investment in specific equipment (robotics, more computer labs, newer computers, reliable internet)
- 52.30% not encouraged to pursue diversity issues in their classrooms, 28% had no formal diversity training
- inadequate resources for encouraging diversity (workload, time, training, teaching spaces)

Exosystem Results

- Teacher awareness of gender imbalance and desire to change it clashes with the lack of experience of female students
- Many reports of parents deterring student involvement in computer science
- Intervene by challenging parental and community gender stereotypes

Mesosystem Results

- Teachers cited mostly microlevel reasons for the lack of gender diversity: male-dominated classroom culture, stigma, intimidation, lack of experience
- 47.59% have employed strategies to increase engagement of female students:


 - Inviting female students to participate in Robotics Club
- Creating additional elective courses
- Promoting female students' work at parent nights and assemblies
- Creating Girls' Advisor positions
- Changing assessment methods to focus on planning and writing stages
- Highlighting need for women in IT
- Inviting female presenters to the school


Microsystem Results

Michell et al. (2018) sorted relevant survey response data regarding the gender gap in computer science into the four categories set forth by Bronfenbrenner's multi-level model, combining this with relevant governmental policies in Australia at the time that also correspond with the four categories:
- Macrosystem
- Exosystem
- Mesosystem
- Microsystem

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Michell et al. (2018) established a socio-ecological framework to help understand the origins of the gender gap in computer science and how it may be addressed across its several levels or dimensions.

Socio-Ecological Framework for Understanding Gender Gap in Computer Science

Michell, D., Szabo, C., Falkner, K., & Szorenyi, A. (2018). Towards a socio-ecological framework to address gender inequity in computer science. Computers and Education, 126, 324-333. https://10.1016/j.compedu.2018.07.019 

Towards a Socio-Ecological Framework to Address Gender Inequity in Computer Science

- How does our investigation of the gender gap in computer science fit into this framework?
- Factors at the various levels may be influencing study habits that contribute to gender differences (e.g. social costs, different parental pressures by gender, overshadowing cultural stereotypes about gender)
- When considering interventions, only addressing one level of this framework will be incomplete in alleviating the gender gap --> must consider all levels

Takeaways

The Michell et al. (2018) study administered a survey to secondary school Digital Technologies teachers in Australia in 2017. The survey focused on three elements of teaching: first, the curriculum, policies, and resources currently in place or lacking; second, whether teachers perceived diversity, with a focus on gender diversity, as an issue in their classes; and third, what actions were taken to address gender and other forms of diversity. The researchers analyzed the survey responses using open coding and matched the resulting themes against Bronfenbrenner's multi-level model.

Methods: Survey of Digital Technologies Teachers on Gender Diversity

Socio-Ecological Framework Survey Results on Gender Gap in Computer Science

The socio-ecological framework for understanding the gender gap in computer science integrates concepts from both Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory of child development and Risman's gender structure theory.

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