Looking Beyond Representation: How Women Develop Their Leadership Perceptions During the Introductory Computing Course

While the gender gap in undergraduate computing is often discussed in reference to the representation of women in the computing major, less is known about leadership and other affective outcomes for women and men in computing. This study examines how gender shapes (a) introductory computing students’ perceptions of their leadership, including measures of both general self-rated leadership ability and perceived capacity for leadership in computing, (b) how these perceptions change during the introductory computing course, and (c) the experiences that are related to change in leadership outcomes. Findings reveal gender differences in how incoming introductory course students report both their general leadership abilities and their perceived capacity for leadership in computing. Additionally, both women and men experienced a decline in their perceived capacity for leadership in computing during the introductory course. These and other findings are discussed, with attention given to the implications for both researchers and instructors seeking to broaden women’s participation in computing.