WOMEN AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY:

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WOMEN AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

• A SEVEN YEAR LONGITUDINAL STUDY OF YOUNG WOMEN
  FROM MIDDLE GRADES INTO COLLEGE

Sarah Berenson, Mladen Vouk, Joan Michael, Paula
Greenspon, Axelle Person North Carolina State
University
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OVERVIEW

• Study follows 174 high achieving girls in 3
  cohorts of Girls on Track1 over 5 years
• Initially funded to study HS girls persistence
  on the fast math track
• Now funded to study girls interests in IT
  careers.2

1NSF Grant 9813902, Program for Gender Equity 2
NSF Grant 0204222, IT Workforce Program
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DEFINITIONS

• High Achieving Girls selected by their teachers
  to take Algebra 1 in seventh or eighth grade.
• Fast Math Track Pre-Calculus by 11th grade,
  Calculus in 12th grade
• IT Careers Computer Science, Computer
  Engineering, Electrical Engineering

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ASSUMPTIONS

• High achieving girls beginning algebra 1 in
  middle school will persist in the study of
  advanced mathematics in high school.
• High achieving girls who stay on the fast math
  track through high school are good candidates for
  IT careers.
• There exists a model of intellectual, social, and
  personal factors that explains girls math
  persistence and IT career interests.

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METHOD OF INQUIRY GROUNDED THEORY

• An iterative process of collecting and analyzing
  data to find relationships/patterns
• Mixed methods of data collection and analysis
  (Creswell, 2003)
• Generating propositions and testing them in the
  iterative process (Creswell, 1998)
• Creswell, J.W. (1998). Qualitative inquiry and
  research design Choosing among five traditions.
  Thousand Oaks, CA Sage.
• Creswell, J.W. (2003). Research design
  Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods
  approaches. Thousand Oaks, CA Sage.

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PREVIOUS PROPOSITIONS

• Proportional reasoning is related to algebra 1
  achievement (Clark Berenson, 2000)
• High achieving girls have high expectations, are
  confident, and feel supported by the families and
  teachers (Howe Berenson, 2003)
• High achieving girls confidence increases after
  taking algebra 1(Longest Berenson, 2001)
• Proportional reasoning is related to algebra and
  geometry achievement (Longest, Person,
  Berenson,Vouk, Michael 2003)

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SUBJECTS OF STUDY

• Cohort 1 - 1999 are now juniors and seniors in
  high school (n40).
• Cohort 2 - 2000 are sophomores and juniors (n65)
• Cohort 3 - 2001 are freshmen and sophomores
  (n69)
• Represent 24 public middle schools, 8 public high
  schools, and 10 private schools in Central North
  Carolina
• 130 /- records considered in the data analysis

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EVIDENCE

• Proportional Reasoning Scores
• Minnesota Talented Youth Mathematics Program
  Attitude Measure
• State Tests Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2
• PSAT Math
• PSAT Verbal
• Math Courses Elected (On Track)
• IT Telephone Interviews of Cohort 1

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ANALYSIS AND RESULTS

• Of 119 girls, 83 are on track to take calculus
  by their senior year
• Cohort 1 n 24/33 80 on track
• Cohort 2 n 38/42 90 on track
• Cohort 3 n 37/44 84 on track
• Of 20 girls taking algebra in 7th grade, 100
  are on track to take Calculus by grade 11.

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ANALYSIS AND RESULTS
Is there a relationship between proportional
reasoning and mathematics achievement over time?
SAS Correlation
Pearson Correlation Coefficients, p-values, and n
for 3 Cohorts

• Cohort Alg 1 Geom Alg 2 PSAT-M
  PSAT-V
• 1999 .74 .58
  .53 .66 .70
• lt .0001 lt .0007 lt.004
  lt .0003 lt .0001
• n28 n30
  n28 n26 n26
• 2000 .37 .20
  .59 .45 .16
• lt .007 ns
  lt .007 lt .009 ns
• n52 n42
  n26 n33 n33
• 2001 .47 .30
• lt .008 ns
• n31 n37

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ANALYSIS AND RESULTS
What are high achieving HS seniors and juniors
attitudes towards math? 39 telephone interviews

• Expressed confidence in math ability
  n21
• Had a great math teacher
  n8
• Enjoyed challenge in math
  n7
• Liked math
  n5
• Used fun to describe math
  n4
• Felt nervous about next math class
  n5
• Thought math was difficult/hard
  n3
• Didnt like math because of teacher n2

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ANALYSIS AND RESULTS
How many high achieving girls did not take
computer science in HS? Why or Why not? 39
telephone interviews

• 33 had taken no HS computer science courses
• No interest in computers
  (n16)
• Schedule conflicts with other electives
  (n6)
• Schedule conflict with other AP classes
  (n3)
• Not tied to career interests or college
  acceptance (n2)
• Courses not offered (i.e. private)
  (n2)
• Computers dont like me (n1)
• Waste of time. (n1)
• Computer/enrichment classes outside of HS (n2)
• Only 1 of 6 taking HS CS enjoyed the course(s)
• Java was very difficult (n2)

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ANALYSIS AND RESULTS
What are high achieving girls career interests
in their senior or junior year ? multiple
choices represented

• Juniors Seniors Total
• Medicine 10 11 21
• Science/Math 3 8 11
• Technology 0 0 0
• Engineering 0 0
  0
• Other 12 17 29
• Undecided 3 1
  4
• business 8

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SUMMARY NEW PROPOSITIONS

• A majority of high achieving girls taking
  algebra 1 in MS will take calculus in HS.
• Proportional reasoning for 11-12 yr. olds is
  related to HS math achievement.
• Most HS high achieving girls feel confident about
  their math abilities.
• High achieving girls do not appear to choose HS
  computer science courses.
• High achieving HS girls are not interested in IT
  or other engineering careers.

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TESTING NEW PROPOSITIONS in 2004-05

• On Track Data from Cohort 2 (2004-05 seniors
  and juniors)
• Proportional Reasoning/AchievementData from
  Cohort 3 (2004-05 juniors and sophomores)
• Confidence Data from Cohort 2
• HS Computer Science Electives Data from Cohort
  2
• Careers Data from Cohort 2

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ASKING NEW QUESTIONS IN 2004-05

• What are the academic characteristics of young
  women and men selecting IT majors in college?
• What are the proportional reasoning attributes
  of second year IT majors?
• What CS electives were taken in HS?
• What math electives were taken in HS?
• How confident are IT majors about IT careers?
• What characteristics contribute to persistence
  in IT majors?