Is computing for social good the solution to closing the gender gap in computer science?

Abstract

© 2016 Copyright held by the owner/author(s). Publication rights licensed to ACM. Computers are ubiquitous in modern western society, yet few people in the general public have a good understanding of what Computer Science is, and what Computer Scientists do. The typical view of Computer Science is of a maleoriented discipline that focuses on technology and eschews social interaction. This stereotypical view does not appeal to female students. As a consequence, there is a significant gender gap between male and female participation in Computer Science. This paper reviews research on how Computer Science is perceived and argues that the inclusion of socially relevant examples and exercises in early computing courses may help the discipline to be perceived in a more positive light, and subsequently improve participation rates of women in computing.