Promoting Women in Computer Science Through Education Case Study Analysis
The Harvey Mudd College (HMC) is one of the most prestigious institutions in the United States, and it is one of the best places to study computer science. The college's main focus is to promote women in computer science through education. To accomplish this mission, the school has set up several programs, including the Computer Science Education Committee, the Women in Computer Science Program, and the Computer Science and Mathematics Education Project, among others.
Problem Statement
Harvey Mudd College has been a leader in promoting women in computer science through education. Its latest graduates are 55% female, up from a decade ago when only 10% of their students were female. The college is based in Claremont, California.
Computer science, engineering, and mathematics are fields that traditionally have a male focus. Students are often reminded of the male-oriented images of computer scientists and engineers on television. These stereotypes can discourage young women from entering these fields.
The first step in addressing the problem of promoting women in these fields is to identify the causes of the underrepresentation of women in STEM. There are several factors that could be contributing to the underrepresentation. Some examples are a lack of confidence and socialization.
In addition, a student's early exposure to computers can influence her interest in studying the subject. She may be discouraged from studying computer science, especially if she has only been exposed to computers in high school. Changing the images of these fields will help draw more women into the industry.
One of the ways that Harvey Mudd has helped increase the number of women in its computer science program is to revamp its introductory course. They replaced Java with Python, which is a more accessible language. This change helped break down barriers for female students and boosted their confidence in the field.
Case Study Solution
Harvey Mudd College's computer science program has been redesigned to increase the number of women in the major. In 2006, the percentage of women at the college was only 10 percent. However, in less than a decade, the school increased the percentage of women to over 50 percent.
As part of this initiative, the college began sending groups of women to a professional conference for women in computing. This conference provides women with technical presentations and career development information. It also exposes them to real-life tech role models.
Additionally, the college redesigned the introductory computer science course. Students were given an opportunity to research topics of their choice. These students then returned to class with new knowledge and skills. The summer research provided a great opportunity for students to apply these new skills.
In addition to these changes, Harvey Mudd College also sent groups of students to the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing. The event brings thousands of women in computing together for technical presentations and career development.
As a result of these changes, the college's first-year female computer science majors increased from 10% to over 50%. Their graduation rates also improved.
One of the most important changes made at Harvey Mudd was the implementation of feminist pedagogy. This type of teaching method develops critical thinking and critical analysis skills. Female students gained an advantage when they were allowed to participate in class without the pressure of being a "dork" or a "computer geek."
Other changes included increasing research opportunities for rising sophomores. This helped female students gain more experience and obtain internships.
Porters Five Forces
Harvey Mudd College has a longstanding goal of increasing the number of women studying computer science. The college has been able to increase the number of female CS majors by creating more gender-inclusive courses. This case examines how this has been done and whether the approach has been replicable elsewhere.
Historically, the computer science field has been dominated by men. Women are often discouraged from pursuing these career paths. This is due to the image of computer scientists. Students often picture them as white male geniuses, socially awkward, or Asian.
Several universities have made changes to encourage women to major in computing. These changes include redesigning introductory STEM courses, hiring more women as professors, and encouraging students to take early internships.
However, the pedagogical practices in these schools may be contributing to lower technology self-efficacy in women. In fact, a review of the literature suggests that a gendered classroom could be an effective lens to study this topic.
To combat these factors, the Harvey Mudd College faculty created a new introductory course. This course introduced students to computer programming and creative problem solving. As a result, many female students chose to continue their studies. They also noticed that the level of experience among their classmates was very different.
Rather than just focusing on academics, the computer science department at CMU has encouraged students to feel a sense of belonging. This can be an important predictor of success in college.
PESTLE Analysis
Harvey Mudd College is one of the best schools for women to learn computer science. The school focuses on STEM programs and admits 2.5 times more female students than men.
This case study focuses on the steps the school took to increase the number of women pursuing computer science as a major. They made changes to the curriculum and the way they engaged students.
Previously, Harvey Mudd only had about 10 percent of its computer science majors women. However, this percentage rose to over half in just a few years.
Maria Klawe, president of Harvey Mudd, became the first woman to head the college in 2006. She served as vice president of student and academic services at the college from 1995 to 1998.
After graduating, Klawe went on to become the dean of engineering at Princeton University. She also served as a professor of computer science and as the vice president of engineering and technology at the university.
In 2006, the percentage of women pursuing a computer science major was about 15%. As of 2016, the percentage has grown to 55%. It is the highest percentage of women CS majors in the country.
Harvey Mudd College is a small liberal arts college that focuses on STEM studies. It has only 800 students. Students are required to take an introductory course in computer science. These courses focus on creative problem solving.
Financial Analysis
Harvey Mudd College, a small institution in Claremont, California, has been working to promote women in computer science through education. The school offers a program that integrates discussions of societal issues with computer science. In addition, the college works to place women in leadership roles and creates a community that encourages women to pursue a computer science career.
In an effort to help women in computer science, Harvey Mudd College created an introductory computer science course that was redesigned to emphasize creative problem solving. Many of the women who took this course went on to internships and research projects in the field after their first year.
Harvey Mudd College also worked to make sure that its faculty were able to assist students who did not have prior programming experience. As a result, the college hired and rewarded professors based on classroom performance.
Additionally, the school sent groups of women to professional conferences for women in STEM fields. This allowed female students to interact with other women in their field, and boosted their confidence in the area.
Harvey Mudd College officials also hired women for leadership positions. In 2007, Maria Klawe became the first woman to lead the school since 1955. She previously spent eight years with IBM Research in California.
Other schools are beginning to pay attention to Mudd's success in promoting women in computer science. For instance, Carnegie Mellon has increased the number of women majoring in computer science.
Recommendations
There is a well-documented shortage of women in computer science and related fields. To address this problem, universities need to rethink their recruiting processes. They need to create a culture that encourages women to enter computer science majors and pursue careers.
Harvey Mudd College is one example of a school that has succeeded in increasing the number of women studying computer science. Its faculty and administration took bold steps to increase the percentage of women in the school's computer science programs.
In the past four years, the number of women in the college's computer science majors has increased from 15% to 16%. The change was the result of a redesign of the college's introductory computer science course.
The university implemented a new course design that separated students by ability. This approach allows for adaptive learning opportunities, which is ideal for Harvey Mudd College's small size.
In addition, officials have promoted women in leadership positions and in the computer science department. Nearly 40% of the campus's total number of professors is now female.
Another step that the school took was to promote self-directed learning. This approach helps to bolster confidence in students, and can be used to attract girls into computing. However, this strategy can also hinder female engagement, as it can undermine women's ability to reach their full potential in the workplace.
The university has also taken steps to improve gender parity in its admissions process. Carnegie Mellon University's admissions policy changed to focus more on the next generation of leaders than on traditional applicants. As a result, the percentage of women admitted to the university rose.
This is just a sample partial case solution. Please place the order on the website to order your own originally done case solution.
Related Case Solutions & Analyses:
Airbus A3XX: Developing the Worlds Largest Commercial Jet (A)
Meeting the Diversity Challenge at PepsiCo: The Steve Reinemund Era
Social media: The New Hybrid Element of the Promotion Mix
Cirque du Soleil–The High-Wire Act of Building Sustainable Partnerships
HubSpot: Inbound Marketing and Web 2.0
Symbian Google & Apple in the Mobile Space (A)
Sanctuary Soft: International Expansion Strategies
U.S. Subprime Mortgage Crisis: Policy Reactions (B)
The Walt Disney Company and Pixar Inc.: To Acquire or Not to Acquire
HP: The Computer is Personal Again
