The Efficacy of One Computer Science Course's Approach to Address the Ethical Dilemmas Surrounding Women in Computer Science

Often reduced to a result of personal choice, women have faced historical exclusion, a lack of representation, and implicit bias in computer science/technology fields. The visibility and legitimacy of women in computer science is hindered by the shifts in perception, lack of acknowledgement in education, and media portrayals. Particularly, giving legitimacy to myths of biological determinism results in harmful narratives in the aptitude of women and their belonging. This poster presents preliminary findings in determining the efficacy of an approach being deployed in some ethics courses in one computer science department. While the department has initiatives in place to foster an inclusive and equitable learning environment, this research may identify areas where the curriculum or discussions fall short in reshaping the narrative surrounding the representation of women in computer science.