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Thu, Nov 6, 3:30 - 3:55, Pueblo A Paper (refereed)

Recommended Citation: Mathis, S G. Introductory Course Improves Retention, Especially For Women. In The Proceedings of the Information Systems Education Conference 2008, v 25 (Phoenix): §1712. ISSN: 1542-7382. (A later version appears in Information Systems Education Journal 6(50). ISSN: 1545-679X.)

Recipient of Meritorious Paper Award

Introductory Course Improves Retention, Especially For Women

Refereed

6 pages

Saralyn Grenga Mathis    [a1] [a2]
Computer Science and Information Systems
The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey    [u1] [u2]
Pomona, New Jersey, USA    [c1] [c2]

An introductory course helps freshmen, especially women, who plan to major in Computer Science and Information Systems be successful in the major. Among the women (n = 31) who intended to major in Computer Science and Information Systems, 100% (n = 7) of those who enrolled in this introductory course were still enrolled and remained Computer Science and Information System majors a full year later versus 83.3% (n = 24) of the non-introductory course students. Persistence rates at least to the end of the second year and beyond are more striking (100% for course females vs. 33.3% for non-course females); males also benefited (66.7% (n = 6) vs. 49.7% (n = 149)). Course content and pedagogy are based upon factors that research has found to positively influence women majors.

Keywords: IS education, CS education, pedagogy, cooperative learning, gender issues, women, introductory computer course

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