Empowering Female Students in Computing Science: Teachers’ attitudes towards a Career Orientation Narrative

The underrepresentation of women in computing science is a persistent issue, heightend by cultural stereotypes and a lack of female role models. This poster investigates the impact of a gender-sensitive career orientation narrative in addressing this problem by examining teachers’ attitudes. The narrative, featuring a female protagonist exploring computing science careers, aims to inspire and educate students. Semi-structured interviews with six teachers revealed positive feedback on the narrative’s authenticity and its potential to create role models. Female teachers appreciated the focus on female characters, while some male teachers suggested broader diversity inclusion. This pilot study underscores the need for a more inclusive approach to diversity in educational materials and highlights the potential of gender-sensitive career orientation narratives to empower female students and challenge stereotypes in computing science careers. Future research should consider the intersectionality of gender with other factors such as race and disability, as well as reassess teachers’ attitudes and evaluate student attitudes.