All-Female Classes in High School Computer Science: Positive Effects in Three Years of Data

Abstract

In a three-year study, female students from all-female computer science (CS) classes were compared to male and female students from mixed-gender CS classes. Participants were 250 students enrolled in an elective Grade 11 CS course (63 females from three all-female classes and 155 males and 32 females from nine mixed-gender classes). Participants completed a questionnaire assessing perceived support from teachers and parents, computer-related attitudes, and future academic and occupational intentions. Females from all-female classes reported higher levels of perceived teacher support, confidence, and future academic and occupational intentions than did females from mixed-gender classes. Females from all-female classes reported levels as high as those reported by males on perceived teacher support, whereas males reported higher levels than did females from mixed-gender classes on perceived teacher support, confidence, intrinsic value, and future intentions. The present study provides some initial empirical evidence supporting the positive effects of all-female classes in CS at the high school level.