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Women Outnumber Men For The First Time In Berkeley’s Intro To Computer Science

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Re: Women Outnumber Men For The First Time In Berkeley’s Intro To Computer Science

#31

Post by clarky07 »

ry0ohki wrote: post #9
jychang wrote: post #5

This is talking about CS10, not CS61a. CS10 is a class designed mostly for non majors, who are interested in Computer Science; CS61a is the first required class for the major. I know of a bunch of CS guys with their girlfriends in CS10. A lot of people who are already set on taking CS as their major go directly into CS61a, skipping CS10, and this accounts for a lot of the gender ratio difference in CS10. If you look…

That's what I was thinking. I remember CS101 at my school had a decent amount of women, but by the time you reached 3rd year they all had disappeared.

At our school, by the time you reached 2nd year most everyone disappeared, male and female. Fall semester sophomore year was about 25% of fall semester freshmen.

Re: Women Outnumber Men For The First Time In Berkeley’s Intro To Computer Science

#32

Post by htns »

geebee wrote: post #18

I recently read the "top jobs" on the us news and world report website. http://money.usnews.com/careers/best-jobs/rankings/the-100-b... Computer jobs were well represented, but so were health sciences. Here's the full list 1. software developer - san jose - 116K (93k natl avg) 2. computer systems analyst - (couldn’t find it in SF, best anywhere was $116k in bridgeport, 84k nation avg) 3. dentist - couldn’t find SF, c…

Yeah, it would be nice to see a "where would they come from?" analysis, especially vs success in lower education or something.

Re: Women Outnumber Men For The First Time In Berkeley’s Intro To Computer Science

#33

Post by marquis »

paulwithap wrote: post #24
marquis wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, you do. Nursing: http://www.minoritynurse.com/tags/men-nursing Teaching: http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2013/mar/23/advocates-say... ".. who bring a different perspective to the job, may connect better with some children and can provide positive male figures in their lives." Same goes for women in technology or any other misrepresented field.

Yeah, those are reputable sources.

I'm not maled so I google 'male advocacy' and picked what came up first. Want some equivalent sources on women? I can pick a few hundred off the top of my head. As a feminist I completely support such groups for men also in careers where women are over-representing.

Re: Women Outnumber Men For The First Time In Berkeley’s Intro To Computer Science

#34

Post by tfigueroa »

geebee wrote: post #18

I recently read the "top jobs" on the us news and world report website. http://money.usnews.com/careers/best-jobs/rankings/the-100-b... Computer jobs were well represented, but so were health sciences. Here's the full list 1. software developer - san jose - 116K (93k natl avg) 2. computer systems analyst - (couldn’t find it in SF, best anywhere was $116k in bridgeport, 84k nation avg) 3. dentist - couldn’t find SF, c…

Definitely. CS isn't the best field for every and anybody.

I couldn't care less about who is getting into whatever field, though, so long as they are passionate about it - not just the paycheck.

Re: Women Outnumber Men For The First Time In Berkeley’s Intro To Computer Science

#35

Post by jack-r-abbit »

geebee wrote: post #18

I recently read the "top jobs" on the us news and world report website. http://money.usnews.com/careers/best-jobs/rankings/the-100-b... Computer jobs were well represented, but so were health sciences. Here's the full list 1. software developer - san jose - 116K (93k natl avg) 2. computer systems analyst - (couldn’t find it in SF, best anywhere was $116k in bridgeport, 84k nation avg) 3. dentist - couldn’t find SF, c…

I think part of the "problem" is that you don't hear about a couple nurses working on a new "nursing product" (sorry.. not sure what the nursing equivalent of "WhatsApp" is) and then getting bought out for $19Billion nearly as often as you do with engineers. I think some careers are more stable and pay more on average than computer jobs but they lack the (possibly over optimistic) possibility to get a big exit check.

Re: Women Outnumber Men For The First Time In Berkeley’s Intro To Computer Science

#36

Post by presidentender »

clarky07 wrote: post #31
ry0ohki wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's what I was thinking. I remember CS101 at my school had a decent amount of women, but by the time you reached 3rd year they all had disappeared.

At our school, by the time you reached 2nd year most everyone disappeared, male and female. Fall semester sophomore year was about 25% of fall semester freshmen.

As it turns out, making video games has little to do with playing them.

Re: Women Outnumber Men For The First Time In Berkeley’s Intro To Computer Science

#37

Post by appliedluck »

I'm particularly glad to read that UCB is changing up the curriculum and introducing open source. Speaking from my time there and my discussions with EECS alumni, it felt like a lot of the curriculum was outdated and many felt ill-prepared for the modern advancements in computer science introduced to them in their day-to-day jobs.

Re: Women Outnumber Men For The First Time In Berkeley’s Intro To Computer Science

#38

Post by MrZongle2 »

paulwithap wrote: post #19

What is up with the obsession to get women coding? Why does it matter? You don't see anything like this in female-dominated professions.

Much of it is in response to publicized examples of sexist behavior in technical circles and personal anecdotes. That sort of behavior is not acceptable, and people are right to rally in favor of a workplace (and career field) that isn't biased in favor of one gender or another.

I can get behind that cause.

The remainder of it though, in my opinion, is a bouillabaisse of "it's never enough-ism" from a small group of hardcore feminists, hand-wringing from me-tooers, approval-seekers and undecideds, and some genuinely decent people who have nevertheless been hurt by specific cases of sexism and disproportionately react.

It is cyclical. It is a well-intentioned cause, but many times it is myopic.

Re: Women Outnumber Men For The First Time In Berkeley’s Intro To Computer Science

#39

Post by justinsteele »

paulwithap wrote: post #24
marquis wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, you do. Nursing: http://www.minoritynurse.com/tags/men-nursing Teaching: http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2013/mar/23/advocates-say... ".. who bring a different perspective to the job, may connect better with some children and can provide positive male figures in their lives." Same goes for women in technology or any other misrepresented field.

Yeah, those are reputable sources.

Seemingly more reputable than your source; you.

Re: Women Outnumber Men For The First Time In Berkeley’s Intro To Computer Science

#40

Post by nicktelford »

paulwithap wrote: post #19

What is up with the obsession to get women coding? Why does it matter? You don't see anything like this in female-dominated professions.

I don't see it as specifically about "getting women coding", rather "addressing the gender bias".

Given that approximately 50% of the population (and ~60% of the "educated" population) are women, it's abnormal for a sector to be so heavily male. This indicates that women are being discouraged, in some way, from entering the sector. Women who might otherwise have contributed a great deal to our industry.

Think of it more about (nearly) doubling the potential number of excellent software engineers than about "encouraging women to code".

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