Exploring women’s motivations to study computer science

摘要: This paper presents a study exploring women’s decisions, influencers and early experiences of computing to better understand how motivations prior experience affect their decision computer science (CS). The emergence gender balance target government imperatives for Scottish university courses has challenged as discipline across the 14 universities in which is currently taught. funding body that there should be more equal balance, with no course having fewer than 25% one gender, leading proliferation action plans sector. Of phenomenon under-representation extends developed countries west, albeit small number high profile resource-intensive interventions making headway. At present percentage women studying UK 17%. lack female applicants suggests subject decisions have been made through previous selecting university. Surveying current students $( \mathrm{n}=185)$ we explored men’s reasons science, computing. aim was examine influences led them positive choice order find evidence on build plan. We found were introduced at different stages (including home, schooling secondary schooling), whereas men likely computers home. Women also cited slightly varying CS, while select it based personal interest. Both influenced by friends family. However, make themselves, not citing any other influence. reviews literature CS describes findings. It hoped this initial work can help nature challenge resources right places encourage CS.