Cross-Country Variation in (Binary) Gender Differences in Secondary School Students’ CS Attitudes: Re-Validating and Generalizing a CS Attitudes Scale

Abstract

Objectives The lack of gender diversity in the computer science (CS) field and workforce is a well-documented challenge that many, but not all, countries face. Such a challenge may be tied to sociocultural and psychological issues that have impacted K–12 CS education, eventually creating a gender gap in CS attitudes and interests. The current study compared American, Korean, and Indonesian middle and high school students’ CS attitudes in two different studies (Study 1 and Study 2). Concurrently, this study also examined whether the items in the CS attitudes scale exhibit country and gender measurement biases. Participants In Study 1, we gathered data on CS attitudes from 886 middle school students (aged 11–14 years old) in the US, Korea, and Indonesia. In Study 2, we collected data on CS attitudes from Indonesian ( n = 427) and Korean ( n = 682) high school students. Study Methods The participating students took the same (translated) previously validated CS attitudes scale. We ran a unidimensional IRT and differential item functioning (DIF). We also ran a two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and the Kruskal-Wallis H test. Findings In Study 1, despite the valid instrument, we found it inappropriate as is for international comparison studies because students from different countries interpreted some items differently. After removing these biased items, we then compared gender-based differences in CS attitudes across countries. We found no significant differences between males and females in the Indonesian middle school data, whereas male students had significantly higher CS attitudes than female students in both American and Korean student data. In Study 2, we found the same pattern in gender differences in CS attitudes scores as in Study 1. The results revealed no significant difference in CS attitudes based on gender in the Indonesian high school data; however, Korean male students had significantly higher CS attitudes than female students. Conclusions These findings underscore the importance of a country’s sociocultural context in influencing gap and diversity in secondary school students’ CS attitudes.