G. Joy Teague

Characterizations of computing careers: students and professionals disagree

Abstract Girls are generally under-represented in secondary and tertiary level computing courses. Seeking reasons for these gender differences in enrollments, data were collected from open-ended interviews with three different samples of participants: (1) 34 male and 34 female students enrolled in the second or third year of a university computer science course; (2) 33 secondary school girls aged 13–17 years, drawn from four different schools; and (3) 19 women working professionally in a computer-based career. Both the secondary and tertiary students held stereotyped views of computing and computer-related careers which differed markedly from the perceptions of the professional women. Important aspects of these careers were identified by the professional women. The question remains as to the numbers of students who make a poor career choice based on inaccurate perceptions of both computing and non-computing careers.

A structured review of reasons for the underrepresentation of women in computing

Analysis of reasons for the underrepresentation of women in computing and interventions aimed at redressing this imbalance are the subject of individual papers, conference panels, full conference sessions, and journal ‘special issues’. Despite this attention, the problem continues, and even, in some countries, worsens. This review of the literature, using a framework already extensively tested in the analysis of health problems, reveals that some deterrents to women studying computing require major shifts in societal behaviour, other deterrents require community re-education, particularly with regard to the nature of computing careers and their suitability for women, and there are some deterrents that are subject to change by individuals or groups of individuals.

Attracting women to tertiary computing courses

This paper describes the development of a twenty-six minute video to encourage girls to consider studying computing, and a one week computer appreciation holiday program conducted for twenty schoolgirls, aged approximately fifteen years. While the two programs are quite different in the number of schoolgirls able to participate, duration and cost, both were highly successful in terms of the immediate responses received. Some student evaluations are included.

Raising the self confidence and self esteem of final year female students prior to job interviews

Published research and anecdotal evidence suggest that women may be disadvantaged when seeking employment. This paper describes a one day seminar on handling job interviews, conducted for female computer science students at the beginning of the final year of their undergraduate degree. Initial evaluations completed by the participants at the time that they participated in the seminar and a survey some six months later have been extremely positive. It appears that, if women are prepared for the interview process, they approach their first interviews with greater confidence and consequently are better equipped to deal with one of the most vital series of interactions that will occur in their lifetimes.

Every seventh year: sabbatical opportunities (abstract)

This paper reviews the dominant interpretations of the Hebrew sabbatical and jubilee laws that have been offered by theologians, social scientists and biblical scholars. In general, these authors believe that the laws imply such a massive, uncompensated redistribution of wealth that they could never have been practiced, and may not have been intended as practicable. After reviewing the contents of the laws (summarized in Leviticus 25), this paper offers an alternative interpretation. Drawing on contract theory, the paper argues that the laws would have been workable, would not necessarily require coerced participation, and would have a positive effect on commercial vitality. Possible challenges to this argument are considered and parallels are drawn to modern bankruptcy laws. JEL Codes: D86, P48, Z12.