Female pupils’ attitudes to computing in early adolescence

Abstract

Female students are under-represented in optional Computer Science qualifications in England’s schools. We know that educational and career choices are affected by students’ attitudes towards the subject and perceptions of their own ability, as well as societal factors. In the current study, a validated survey was adapted and administered to 960 pupils in 7th Grade (age 12-13; 788 female) and 356 pupils in 5th Grade (age 10-11; 171 female). The survey comprised five scales concerning attitudes towards computing: confidence, interest, feelings of belonging, perceptions of usefulness of the subject, and feelings of encouragement to take the subject. Higher scores represent more positive attitudes. We found a significant difference between female and male pupils, with females scoring lower across all scales of the survey in both year groups. Female pupils in mixed-sex high schools reported lower scores for feelings of belonging compared to those in single-sex schools (a statistically significant difference), but did not differ for any of the other scales. These results suggest that less positive attitudes towards computing are evident in female pupils early in their education, and may be associated with differences in their school environment. This is likely to affect their later engagement with computing and choice of optional Computer Science qualifications. Early interventions focusing on confidence, attitudes and perceptions are therefore of great importance in increasing the representation of female pupils in Computer Science.