MONITORING STUDENT ATTITUDES IN LIGHT OF CHANGES IN THE CMU CS CURRICULUM: SUSTAINING THE WOMEN-CS FIT AT CARNEGIE MELLON Carol Frieze, Ph.D. School of

1MONITORING STUDENT ATTITUDES IN LIGHT OF CHANGES IN THE CMU CS CURRICULUM: SUSTAINING THE WOMEN-CS FIT AT CARNEGIE MELLON

Carol Frieze, Ph.D.School of Computer [email protected]

Jeria Quesenberry, Ph.D.Information Systems [email protected]

Sponsored by the MSR-CMU Center for Computational Thinking

2

I dream in code

“I used to not fit in until I came here”

“We’re all geeks”

“Coolest group of

people ever”

“I like having the ability to create

something useful”

Earlier Studies 2002, 2004-2005, and 2009-2010Found a Spectrum of Attitudes Towards CS: No Strong Gender Divide! And a Good Academic and Social Fit for Men and Women

> Background Completed Activities Preliminary Analysis Planned Activities

3

Current Study Fall 2011- Summer 2012

Motivation: Changes in the introductory CS curriculum

(2010)

Research Goals: Are we sustaining a culture and environment

in SCS which works well for both male and female CS majors?

Can we do better? What can we learn from our students?

> Background Completed Activities Preliminary Analysis Planned Activities

4 Completed Activities

Background > Completed Activities Preliminary Analysis Planned Activities

5

Completed ActivitiesData Collection Efforts

Interviews• 40 in-depth, face-

to-face interviews with sophomores (20 women and 20 men) conducted (30 to 60 minutes each)

• 4 interviews w/students who switched majors

• Transcribed by Verbal Inc.

Survey• Survey designed

for ALL undergraduates in CS

• Administered online in April 2012

• Survey responses collected from 199 CS undergraduates (52 women and 147 men)


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Preliminary analysis of interview and survey responses in progress: Identifying emerging themes, common issues, and

patterns of repeated perspectives Comparison and charting of themes and categories by

gender

Determined the strategies for validation of findings: Responses to specific questions separated to produce sets

of anonymous answers Volunteers to categorize the responses as they think

appropriate

Completed ActivitiesData Analysis Efforts


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Early results are positive about sustaining the Women-CS Fit.

Sample analysis of interview and survey findings to follow….

Preliminary Analysis

Background Completed Activities > Preliminary Analysis Planned Activities

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Interview Q7: Why did you decide on CMU?

Categories

Interview Responses Representative Quotes

“Because it was the best computer science school” M.

“It has a very strong computer science program, and it also has a very strong arts program.” W.

“I can do arts as well as computer science at one place that’s amazing at both” M.

“I could definitely imagine myself sitting in one of the computer science classes” W.

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Visit

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8

12

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20

womenmen


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Interview Q17: Do you like or dislike programming?

Love Like Mixed Dislike0

2

4

6

8

10

12

WomenMen

“It's amazing how much you can do with just writing code.” M.

“You can create so many things with it.” W.

“What I like most is the sense of accomplishment” M.

“It’s fun and the feeling that you get when you actually solve your problem is so good.” W.


Categories


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Interview Q9: How would you describe the atmosphere or the environment in the CS Department?

Hard

Wor

king

Compe

titive/

Stre

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Health

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Geeky

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Comfo

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0

2

4

6

8

10

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WomenMen

Categories

“A collaborative and helpful environment.” M.

“It’s competitive in that you want to do well, but, it’s a collaborative environment.” W.

“It’s a very good environment for fostering creativity.” M.

“It’s not cut-throat tech like other schools … Here, we’re all just in it for the love of it.” W.



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Survey Q31: The environment at CMU provides me with everything I need to succeed.

Agree Unsure Disagree0%

10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

100%

WomenMen

Categories

Survey Responses


12

Survey Q37: The professors at Carnegie Mellon are not approachable.

Agree Unsure Disagree0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

womenmen

Categories

Survey Responses


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Interview Q29: What is the best thing about doing this major?


“I’m learning new ways of thinking about things. I don’t feel like I’m just memorizing a bunch of facts” W.

“Being in an atmosphere with so many bright and supportive people” M.

“Half of it is the people and half of it is everything you learn … it’s just kind of amazing” W.

“Learning things that are directly useful to doing cool things and changing the world” M.

Categories

Lear

ning

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Usefu

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Socie

ty

SCS

Comm

unity

Oppor

tuni

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Fun/

Cool/E

njoy

/Am

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2

4

6

8

10

12

womenmen


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Interview Q30: What is the worst thing about doing this major?


“The amount of work, but at the same time, you do want that amount of work.” W.

“The soul-crushing amount of work, but not in a bad way.” M.

“I’m definitely sleep deprived.” W.

“Physically, I’m in worse shape than when I came here. Mentally, I’m in much better shape.” M.

CategoriesW

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Interview Q31: What is your favorite class so far?

“I like all my classes” W.

15-251:

“…kind of like a love and hate relationship.” W.

“…was both my favorite and the least favorite.” M.

“Getting through it with your friends is the greatest feeling.” W.

15-150:

“It’s just a whole new perspective.” W.

“It’s so unique.” M.


Classes

110-Prin. of Computing

122-Imperative Computation

150-Functional Programming

210-Data Structures

213-Computer Systems

251-Great Theoretical

Non-CS

All

0 2 4 6 8 10 12

men


210-Parallel and Sequential Data Structures and Algorithms; 150-Principles of Functional Programming; 122-Principles of Imperative Computation

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Interview Q32: What is your least favorite class so far?

“Even our worst classes that people hate, you still love them at the end of the day.” M.

15-251:

“It’s painful but it’s enjoyable.” M.

“Very painful, but I appreciate it.” W.

15-150:

“The class felt weird … I didn’t like the theory so much in that class.” M.

“…it was just strange.” M.


Classes

122-Imperative Computation

150-Functional Programming

210-Data Structures

213-Computer Systems

251-Great Theoretical

Non-CS

None

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

menwomen


210-Parallel and Sequential Data Structures and Algorithms; 150-Principles of Functional Programming; 122-Principles of Imperative Computation

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Interview Q26a: Do you feel that your confidence in your ability to do well in CS has increased or decreased?

Perceptions of

confidence?

Increased Stable Decreased Unsure0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

women

Cumulative QPA

Women

Men

4.0 2 1

3.99-3.50 6 9

3.49-3.00 6 3

Below 2.99 5 6

Not given 1 1

Interview Responses

Categories


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Overall, do you feel like you fit into CS academically?

Sophomores: Interview Q53

Categories

ALL Years: Survey Q38

CategoriesYes Unsure No

0

4

8

12

16

WomenMen

Agree

Unsur

e

Disagr

ee0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

WomenMen

Representative Quotes Representative Quotes“....wondering if I’m up to par with everybody else. But I think that’s something that most everyone here also has.” M.

“You’re always feeling that you’re trying to fit in struggling with all the academic concepts and things. Overall I think everyone is doing the same thing.” W.

“For the most part, I can keep up with my friends grade-wise.” W. Freshman

“I do very well academically, but sometimes I see peers around me doing even better.” M. Senior


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Overall, do you feel like you fit into CS socially?

Sophomores: Interview Q54

Categories

ALL Years: Survey Q40

Categories

Representative Quotes

“Yeah, I'm definitely a CS major at heart.” W.

“Yes. I am a CS major at heart.” M.

Yes Unsure No0

5

10

15

20

WomenMen

“People here are like me.” M. Freshman

“CMU has every type of person.” W. Junior

Representative Quotes

Agree

Unsur

e

Disagr

ee0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

WomenMen


20 Planned Activities

Background Completed Activities Preliminary Analysis > Planned Activities

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Planned Activities Summer/Fall 2012

Interviews:

• Isolate remaining questions for analysis

• Complete preliminary analysis • Conduct validation of findings

Survey:• Conduct further analysis of

data• Conduct validation of findings

Dissemination:

• Integrate interview and survey results

• Write-up research results and identify implications


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Preliminary Conclusions

No evidence of a strong gender divide among CMU CS majors

A spectrum of attitudes towards CS among both men and women including many gender similarities

Overall both male and female CS majors feel they have a good fit both academically and socially

Carol Frieze, Ph.D.School of Computer [email protected]

Jeria Quesenberry, Ph.D.Information Systems [email protected]


Documents

MONITORING STUDENT ATTITUDES IN LIGHT OF CHANGES IN THE CMU CS CURRICULUM: SUSTAINING THE WOMEN-CS FIT AT CARNEGIE MELLON Carol Frieze, Ph.D. School of