Women’s Persistence in Computer Science:

A Longitudinal Qualitative Study

Amanda O’Connor

A dissertation

submitted in partial fulfillment of the

requirements for the degree of

Doctor of Philosophy

University of Washington

2014

Reading Committee

Stephen T. Kerr, Chair

Angela B. Ginorio

Elham Kazemi

Ed Lazowska

Program Authorized to Offer Degree:

Education

© Copyright 2014

Amanda O’Connor

University of Washington

Abstract

Women’s Persistence in Computer Science: A Longitudinal Qualitative Study

Amanda O’Connor

Chair of the Supervisory Committee:

Professor Stephen T. Kerr

Education

This study examined the factors underlying women’s persistence in computer science.

Fifteen women who received a computer science bachelor’s degree from a major research university in the Pacific Northwest were longitudinally studied using a qualitative study format.

The study design consisted of a series of interviews and observations during the women’s senior year of college and a career interview four to five years later. The effects of sponsorship and stereotype threat on the participants’ initial decision to study computer science and their experiences as computer science majors were explored, as well as the ways in which these women’s undergraduate experiences influenced their post-college career pathways. The results indicate that sponsorship had a significant positive impact on the women’s initial matriculation in the computer science major and that stereotype threat was prevalent but not a deterrent to the women’s study of computer science, at times even acting as a motivating force. The women

often encountered issues with self-confidence in college and in the workplace; personal motivation, conversely, helped them to persist, both in college and in the workplace. When they embarked on computer science-related careers, the women frequently contended with gendered expectations of behavior in the workplace, in both academic and corporate settings.

Understanding women’s experiences with computer science, both in college and in their subsequent careers, can help us appreciate why and how women succeed in the field of computer science, which in turn can help to inform both women interested in computer science majors and/or careers and those interested in helping them achieve these goals.

Dedication

For my family, my doctoral committee, and all the women in computer science without whom this research would not have been possible.

Acknowledgements

Many thanks to my dissertation chair, Dr. Stephen T. Kerr. Without his encouragement and support over the last few months and years, not to mention his extremely helpful reviews of chapter drafts, this dissertation would not have been possible.

Thanks to my doctoral reading committee, Dr. Angela B. Ginorio and Dr. Elham Kazemi.

Their feedback was valuable in ways that I didn’t even know was relevant when I began this project. Thanks also to my final doctoral committee member, Dr. Ed Lazowska, whose interest in the topic of women in computer science was invaluable to this work.

Thanks to our babysitter, Nadia Aldossary, for her time and her flexibility.

Thanks to my family, near and far, without whose support and love I could never have completed this dissertation.

Finally, thanks to the women who took time out of their busy lives to share their stories of perseverance. This study would not exist without them.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Introduction 1

Chapter 2: Literature 6 Conceptual Framework 6 Grounding Theories 9 Literature Review 11 Early Literature 13 The New Millennium 14 Working toward a Solution 18 Research on Inclusion 22 Not Better Yet 25 Current Trends 27

Chapter 3: Methods 30 Study Outline and Research Questions 30 Research Design 32 Why Qualitative Methods? 32 Set