Gender stereotyping in a computer science course

Abstract

Stereotypes often assume an implicit role in many gender studies. This paper describes a study in which the internal validity of gender stereotypes in a computing course is explored. Students' self-perceptions and common research positions in the literature are compared to these stereotypes. The study offers results different from most located in the literature. Further work is therefore suggested by the outcomes of this research to determine if this represents a favourable shift in the way in which women approach the discipline.