Invisible Barriers: Understanding Womenâs Experiences in Computing and Information Systems in a Distance Education Environment

Lynda R. Ross; Peter Holt; Julia Johnson

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Invisible Barriers: Understanding Womenâs Experiences in Computing and Information Systems in a Distance Education Environment

In: Virtuality and Education

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Lynda R. Ross

Lynda R. Ross
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Peter Holt

Peter Holt
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Julia Johnson

Julia Johnson
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Type:: Chapter

Pages:: 183â199

DOI:: https://doi.org/10.1163/9789401203289_013

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Abstract

Like other post-secondary institutions in North America, Athabasca University (AU) â Canadaâs Open University â has not been successful in either recruiting or retaining women into its Computing and Information Science (CIS) programme. Recent reports indicate that in Canada women earn approximately 22% of all undergraduate degrees in computing science. While women represent close to 40% of the enrollments in introductory computing and information science courses at AU, by the fourth year, womenâs representation in upper level courses drops to just below 25%. Over the past few decades, womenâs participation in other traditionally male dominated careers has steadily increased. However, not only are women under-represented in computing science post-secondary education programmes, but in addition their numbers are actually gradually declining. Published reports attribute this decline to the masculine âculture of computingâ dominating classrooms, pedagogy, and curriculum in traditional university environments. There is, to date, no research on how this male culture may have insinuated its way into open, online, and distance learning environments, in which students â both male and female â are removed from traditional classroom contexts and where instruction and interactions between students and faculty and between peers, occur primarily in âcyberspace.â Using in-depth semi-structured interviews, this project explored factors that might be responsible for reproducing the âcultureâ in distance and open learning environments. The overarching goal of this study is to recommend ways in which CIS courses and the accompanying learning environment might be adapted to facilitate womenâs needs in the distance delivery of a computing science education.

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Virtuality and Education

A Reader

Series:Â At the Interface / Probing the Boundaries, Volume: 34

E-Book ISBN:: 9789401203289

Publisher:: Brill

Print Publication Date:: 01 Jan 2006

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Invisible Barriers: Understanding Womenâs Experiences in Computing and Information Systems in a Distance Education Environment

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Invisible Barriers: Understanding Womenâs Experiences in Computing and Information Systems in a Distance Education Environment