Pilot Summer Camps in Computing for Middle School Girls: From Organization Through Assessment

摘要

It is a well-known fact that women are under-represented in computing, and that trend has been worsening. In recent years, very few entering female freshmen have expressed an interest in computer science. Research has shown that girls lose interest in computing at an early age. If we are to fill the pipeline with women we must reach out to girls to remove the hurdles and dispel the misconceptions that turn them away from computing. This paper describes our experience in conducting pilot summer camps in computing for middle school girls. It covers the whole process, from conception through assessment, including how we worked with local schools to organize and devise the content of the camps, and how the camps were funded, conducted, advertised and assessed. We include lessons learned from this experience to benefit those who want to implement such camps. Other organizations can use the information in this paper to guide them in developing similar programs.