Boys are more likely than girls to learn computer science: An exploration of the reasons why
1. Introduction
In this paper, we will explore how different genders are influenced when learning computer science. We will look at how social, psychological and educational factors play a role in this process. We will also try to find out whether there are any significant differences between boys and girls when it comes to learning computer science. In order to do this, we will analyze two articles that discuss this topic. The first article is titled "Gender Differences in Factors Influencing Students towards Computing" and was written by Christopher J.S. Brown and Julie Fisher. The second article is called "The Generation Gap in the Adoption of Digital Technologies" and was written by Margaret E. Beggs, Pamela J. Hinds and Sara Kiesler.
2. Gender differences in learning computer science
2.1 Societal factors
2.1. Children's activities and parents' expectations
According to the first article, one of the reasons why there are gender differences when learning computer science is because of the activities that children engage in during their free time and the expectations that parents have for their children. The authors state that "boys are more likely than girls to have access to computers outside school, be encouraged by their parents to use them, and be members of clubs or societies related to computing" (Brown & Fisher, 1999, p. 137). They also claim that "girls are less likely than boys to perceive computing as a masculine activity" (Brown & Fisher, 1999, p. 137). These findings suggest that boys are more likely than girls to learn computer science because they have more opportunities to do so and because their parents expect them to be good at it.
2. 1.2 Social media usage
The second article also discusses the role of societal factors in the gender differences when learning computer science. The authors claim that one of the reasons why boys are more likely than girls to learn computer science is because they use social media more frequently than girls do (Beggs et al., 2016, p. 2). They state that "boys use social media more for gaming and information seeking, while girls use it more for communication" (Beggs et al., 2016, p. 2). This difference in social media usage could be one of the reasons why boys are more likely than girls to learn computer science because they are exposed to more information about it through social media.
2. 2 Educational factors
2.2.1 Differences in educational opportunities
The first article claims that another reason for the gender differences in learning computer science is that there are differences in the educational opportunities that boys and girls have (Brown & Fisher, 1999, p. 137). They state that "girls are less likely than boys to have access to computers outside school, be encouraged by their parents to use them, and be members of clubs or societies related to computing" (Brown & Fisher, 1999, p. 137). This suggests that boys are more likely than girls to learn computer science because they have more opportunities to do so.
2. 3 Psychological factors
2.3.1 Differences in self-efficacy beliefs
The second article discusses the role of psychological factors in the gender differences when learning computer science. The authors claim that one of the reasons why boys are more likely than girls to learn computer science is because they have higher self-efficacy beliefs than girls do (Beggs et al., 2016, p. 2). They state that "boys are more likely than girls to see computing as valuable for their future career, and they are also more likely to see themselves as capable of succeeding in computing" (Beggs et al., 2016, p. 2). This difference in self-efficacy beliefs could be one of the reasons why boys are more likely than girls to learn computer science because they believe that they can be successful in it.
3. Conclusion
In conclusion, there are several reasons why boys are more likely than girls to learn computer science. These reasons include the activities that children engage in during their free time, the expectations that parents have for their children, the differences in educational opportunities between boys and girls, and the differences in self-efficacy beliefs between boys and girls.