Real women don't write programs

ABSTRACT

Some universities are concerned about low levels of female enrolment in their computer science courses. This paper takes a humorous approach to this serious problem. The paper examines some of the barriers to female participation in computer science courses, especially in courses which involve programming. The paper then makes some suggestions for increasing female participation in computer science courses.

REFERENCES

• 1: Light, J. S. 1999. When Computers Were Women. Technology and Culture 40.3 (1999) 455--483 http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/technology_and_culture/v040/40.3light.html
• 2: Scott McCartney, ENIAC: The Triumphs and Tragedies of the World's First Computer, Walker & Company, 1999
• 3: Toole, B. 2006. Ada Byron, Lady Lovelace. Biographies of Women Mathematicians {Last Modified: 5 May 2006} http://www.agnesscott.edu/lriddle/women/love.htm
• 4: Paul De Palma, Viewpoint: Why women avoid computer science, Communications of the ACM, v.44 n.6, p.27-30, June 2001 [doi>10.1145/376134.376145]
• 5: Greg Scragg , Jesse Smith, A study of barriers to women in undergraduate computer science., ACM SIGCSE Bulletin, v.30 n.1, p.82-86, Mar. 1998

INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  K. Computing Milieux
  K.3 COMPUTERS AND EDUCATION
      K.3.2 Computer and Information Science Education

General Terms:
Human Factors

Keywords:
computing, female participation, humour, programming