Gender Differences in Adolescents' Attitudes about IT Careers

Abstract

Adolescents are the fastest growing segment of computer and Internet users, reporting heavier use than their parents (Lenhart, Madden & Hitlin, 2005). Though the popularity of technology continues to flourish and drive the American economy, recent studies suggest that the revolution may be leaving females behind at later ages (Cooper & Weaver, 2003; McDonald, 2004). Employment data from the United States (U.S.) Bureau of Labor Statistics show that the U.S. high-tech computer industry employs nearly 5 million workers, making it one of the nation’s largest and most lucrative industries. Yet the number of women earning computer science degrees in the U.S. has plummeted over the past two decades, causing women to be vastly underrepre-sented in the information technology (IT) workforce (McDonald, 2004; National Science Foundation, 2004).