Chapter 4: Influencing Young Women to Pursue Creative Information Technology Careers

A leaky pipeline is often cited as the cause for the underrepresentation of women in computer-related professions. However, females may not even enter the pipeline; that is, they do not even enroll in creative information technology coursework as early as high school. For the purpose of this study, creative information technology careers include web design, digital photography, and multimedia. Constructs of the social cognitive career theory-outcome expectations and self-efficacy provided the theoretical framework for this investigation to determine why young women are not exhibiting interest in these careers. Using an action research structure, a female-segregated technology club was implemented at the high school. The study intended to increase the participants’ interest in pursuing careers in the creative information technology field through the components of career choice as outlined in the theoretical framework. The outcome expectations of “With whom will I work?” and “What will I do?” were addressed through the presentation of female role models and career information. Self-efficacy was targeted through technology skills’ instruction directly related to the creative information technology fields. Data was collected through the administration of a pretest/posttest survey instrument, researcher observations, individual participant interviews, and an analysis of the participants’ creative products. To increase the accuracy, reliability, and completeness of the data recorded, an additional observer also recorded observations and took notes during the intervention. Quantitative findings indicated that there were few statistically significant program effects. The participants’ perceptions of those employed in these careers did not change, but their technology self-efficacy increased on three indicators. Analysis of qualitative data yielded a more complete picture: Although the young women had little prior knowledge of those employed in these fields, they did enjoy learning technology to develop creative projects in a social atmosphere where they could persevere through the technology functions they encountered. All of the data types affirmed that the participants’ interest in these careers changed positively after the intervention.