ITWF: Cross Ethnic Differences in Undergraduate Women's Preference for Information Technology

摘要信息技术劳动力（ITWF）-FY 03提案ID：EIA-0305898研究者：Roli Varma和Deepak Kapur机构：新墨西哥大学标题：本科女生对信息技术偏好的跨种族差异新墨西哥州大学获得了IWF奖，以支持由Roli Varma领导的ITWF资助的为期一年的试点项目的继续，该项目名为“为什么从事信息技术工作的妇女如此之少：一项比较研究”（EIA-0120055）。 试点项目按性别和种族沿着重点关注以下两个问题：（一）为什么有潜力在信息技术学科学习中取得成功的妇女选择其他教育途径？(ii)要吸引更多妇女接受资讯科技教育，必须克服哪些障碍？试点项目利用人种学访谈技术获取关于这一主题的原始数据。 对4所少数民族院校的65名不同民族的计算机科学或计算机工程专业本科生进行了访谈。 初步调查结果证实，妇女和少数群体在科学和工程以及信息技术方面存在以下问题：（一）数字鸿沟;（二）对数学和信息技术的信心差距;（三）早期社会化中的微妙偏见;（四）男性环境;（五）缺乏榜样和指导。 初步调查结果亦显示：（i）学生认为资讯科技是白色及男性主导的，但资讯科技的就业机会却较他们为多;（ii）由计算机科学及计算机工程系转往资讯科技系的学生，仍然选择与资讯科技有关的科目，因为这些科目的就业前景及经济效益较佳;（iii）学生遇到技术困难，是因为他们缺乏调试软件的经验及解决问题的能力不足;（iv）学生的时间管理技巧欠佳，尤其是他们没有家庭的教育资助，因而须兼职工作以支持学业。完整的研究将有大约170名参与者，并将在另外5个少数民族服务机构进行。 通过将种族和性别作为一个因素进行审查，全面研究的目的是加深对妇女选择的理解，并扩大对文献中所表达的这些选择的理解。 跨性别和跨文化的比较将提供一个更好的了解有关的问题，缺乏妇女参与IT学科和职业，并将揭示种族的可能差异的贡献，以性别为基础的选择。

ABSTRACTInformation Technology Workforce (ITWF) - FY03Proposal ID: EIA-0305898Investigator: Roli Varma and Deepak KapurInstitution: University of New MexicoTitle: The Cross Ethnic Differences in Undergraduate Women's Preference for Information TechnologyThe University of New Mexico has received an IWF award to support a continuation of the ITWF-funded one-year pilot led by Roli Varma entitled "Why So Few Women in Information Technology: A Comparative Study" (EIA-0120055). The pilot focused on the following two questions along gender and ethnic lines: (i) Why do women who have the potential to succeed in the study of IT disciplines take alternative educational paths?(ii) What barriers and obstacles must be overcome to attract more women to IT education?The pilot utilized the technique of ethnographic interviews to acquire primary data on the subject. Over 65 undergraduate students in different ethnic groups, majoring in computer science or computer engineering, in 4 minority-serving institutions were interviewed. Preliminary findings confirmed for women and minorities in science and engineering and IT issues such as: (i) the digital divide, (ii) a confidence gap in mathematics and IT; (iii) subtle biases in early socialization; (iv) the masculine environment; and (v) lack of role models and mentoring. Preliminary findings also revealed that: (i) students' perception of IT as white and male-oriented was outweighed by job opportunities in IT; (ii) students who switched from CS and CE, remained within IT-related areas, because they offered better job prospects and economic gains; (iii) students experienced technical difficulties because of lack of experience with debugging skills and inadequate problem solving skills; (iv) students had poor time management skills especially when they did not have their family's financial support for education and thus had to work part-time to support their studies. The full study will have approximately 170 participants and will take place in 5 additional Minority Serving Institutions. By including the examination of ethnicity as well as gender as a factor, the full study aims both at deepening understanding of women's choices and at extending understanding of these choices as expressed in the literature. Cross-gender and cross-cultural comparison will provide a better understanding of the issues related to the lack of participation by women in IT disciplines and careers, and will shed light on the possible differential contribution of ethnicity to gender based choices.