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15 - How the Perception of Young Malaysians toward Science and Mathematics Influences Their Decision to Study Computer Science

from Part IV - Cultural Perspectives from Asia-Pacific

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 October 2019

By
Mazliza Othman  and
Rodziah Latih
Edited by
Carol Frieze  and
Jeria L. Quesenberry
Carol Frieze
Affiliation:
Carnegie Mellon University, Pennsylvania
Jeria L. Quesenberry
Affiliation:
Carnegie Mellon University, Pennsylvania
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Summary

It has been twelve years since our article “Women in Computer Science: No Shortage Here!” (Othman and Latih, 2006) was published. It is disheartening that after more than a decade, gender disparity in computer science (CS) is still an issue. Among important findings of our previous study is that young Malaysian females and males have a markedly different attitude toward science and mathematics compared with their Western counterparts. CS and information technology (IT) is not viewed as a masculine field by young Malaysians, which is a key reason why this nation does not encounter the problem of too few females being interested in pursuing a degree in CS/IT.

Type
Chapter
Information
Cracking the Digital Ceiling
Women in Computing around the World
 , pp. 276 - 289
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2019

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