A Study of Computing Experiences of Female A-Level Maths Students

Abstract

In 1980, 23% of the UK candidates applying through UCCA for admission to computer science degree schemes were women. Following annual decreases, by 1987 women represented only 11% of such applicants. This recent trend is both novel and disturbing because until 1980 there had been comfortable annual increases in the the number of women applicants. Despite increases in the number of places available on computer science courses at both polytechnics and universities, the actual number of female students has decreased; for example in 1980, 423 of the 1754 UK university first-year computer science students were female, but by 1987 only 193 of the 1852 students accepted through the UCCA scheme were women. Many authors have expressed concern over this phenomenon [Evans 87, Lovegrove 87, Soper 88]. In this study I have analysed the replies to a questionnaire which was distributed to A Level maths students in order to assess their past experiences of computing and the impact on future career aspirations. The replies to the questionnaires were analysed to study gender differences.