Problem
Research questions and friction points this paper is trying to address.
gender balance
computer science education
student retention
first-year students
dropout rate
Better Balance in Informatics 2.0: The First-Year Students
🤖 AI Summary
This study addresses the elevated risk of attrition among first-year women in computer science, often attributed to the perceived difficulty of introductory coursework. To mitigate this issue, the authors designed and implemented a workshop series specifically for female first-year students, integrating foundational programming skills—such as file system navigation, terminal usage, debugging techniques, and development workflows—with broader disciplinary and career awareness activities. The intervention uniquely combines technical skill development with gender-inclusive support structures, significantly enhancing participants’ confidence in mastering core competencies. Preliminary data from 2024–2025 indicate marked improvements in these skills; however, the long-term impact on early attrition rates remains to be evaluated through continued longitudinal tracking.
📝 Abstract
Diversity among computer scientists and technologists is necessary for the sustainable development of society through technological innovation. At UiT The Arctic University of Norway, only 13% of computer science students are women. Many find the learning curve in introductory computer science courses to be very steep, and thus, they drop out. Female students tend to be overrepresented in this group. The goal of this project was to improve the gender balance among computer science students at UiT by focusing on female first-year students and ensuring that they do not drop out of the study programs in the first year of study. The project established a seminar series for strengthening the basic programming-technical skills that many first-year students lack, and exposing them to different aspects and career paths within the computer science subject beyond the focus area of the study program. Results show positive developments, particularly related to the students' perceived introduction to basic technical topics. A comparison between 2024 and 2025 shows improvements in several of the areas addressed in the technical workshops, including use of file systems, terminals, debugging and the code development process. However, effects on dropout and study experience require more long-term measures.
Innovation
Methods, ideas, or system contributions that make the work stand out.
gender balance
first-year retention
technical skill development
programming workshops
diversity in computing
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