Authors:
Colomo-Palacios, Ricardo and Yahia, Nesrine Ben and Larrucea, Xabier and Casado-Lumbreras, Cristina
Abstract:
Traditionally, women have been underrepresented in Computing studies. The discipline is male-dominated in spite of the efforts promoting the participation of women in the field, both in the student base and in the professional arena. Literature underlined that student attraction and professional retention are aspects to analyse in a sound way in order to build strong and grounded theories for this complex misbalance phenomenon. In this scenario, authors study the gender gap in computing education by collecting data such as female students enrolled in one of the mandatory courses and female members of faculty. In addition to this data, socio-economic factors such as Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and unemployment rate of the countries under study were considered. Results show that the gender gap in computing studies is not narrowing significantly despite the measures that were undertaken. In an attempt to explain the gender gap by considering macroeconomic variables, authors highlight the complexness of the phenomenon. Authors believe that there is not a single answer or explanation to this imbalance and a variety of aspects from values to culture and from economy to expectations need to be analysed in order to bring answers and possible solutions to this tangible problem.
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Authors:
Ballatore, Maria Giulia and De Borger, Jelle and Misiewicz, Julia and Tabacco, Anita
Abstract:
The “Increasing Gender Diversity in STEM” project involved six different partner universities around Europe. The scope of the project was to investigate the gender difference in self-perception of students in relation to their career choice. This was done through a web-based app, ANNA tool, that allows high school students to match their own personality, views, and expectations to those of engineering students and professional engineers. In the meantime, the data collection gave the opportunity to take a look at how students perceive their university and undergraduate program. This pilot application is then been further studied in order to analyse its scalability in other countries with broader STEM content.
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(Diversity and Inclusion: Culture and Perception in Information Technology Companies)
Authors:
de Souza, Natália Pinheiro Ramos and Gama, Kiev
Abstract:
Making a stand regarding diversity and inclusion has been a matter of strategic positioning for many companies. There is a growing trend on the part of corporations to embrace the causes of minorities, as these corporations are interested in diversifying their workforce in search of becoming more competitive and innovative. However, corporate culture is not something that changes overnight. It is necessary to break the inertia of the employees who are in charge of the enterprise, transform their mentality and actions, attract and retain different people, so that diversity and inclusion policies are adopted and actually put into practice. The present research intends to understand how people perceive their work environments (within the scope of IT), whether the discourse and practice to make the corporate environment diverse and inclusive are aligned or deflected and yet how relevant are these issues for the well-being and permanence of employees in companies. As result of the present study, representativeness is believed to improve the working environment, but that is not everything. This alone does not guarantee the benefits that companies seek (creativity, innovation), nor do they ensure a “comfortable” environment for minorities wanting to stay and be productive.
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Authors:
Rodrigues, Letícia and Fontoura, Mariana and Leite, Patricia and Amaral, Marília and Almeida, Leonelo and Merkle, Luiz Ernesto
Abstract:
Computing areas perpetuate gender stereotypes that construct notions of masculinity and femininity. These stereotypes can be found in areas such as Informatics and Game Development. Based on models of the nature of HCI, and game elements, this research intent to propose a hybrid model (Orety) which encompasses these fields and gender theory through the concept of technologies of gender. This article contribution comes from the proposed model, and the reflexive analysis, that it provides, putting multiple perspectives into dialogue and promoting a critical view of gender relations and gender stereotypes in academic and scientific fields.
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Authors:
Gewerc, Adriana and Persico, Donatella and Rodés-Paragarino, Virginia
Abstract:
This Special Issue of IEEE-RITA on digital competence was under preparation when the COVID-19 pandemic forced educational systems around the world to shift towards Emergency Remote Education (ERE). The emergency acted as litmus paper for a series of problems that had existed for some time. This introduction analyzes the relationships between the challenges facing the education world in terms of digital competence and similar, with special focus on teachers’ needs of digital competence in relation to ERE. Six international experts from around the world have provided their views on how the research agenda on digital competence should change in light of the recent ERE experience. This introduction offers an overview of these contributions, as well as those that, after peer review, have been accepted for publication in this Special Issue.
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Authors:
Marín-Suelves, Diana and López-Gómez, Silvia and Castro-Rodríguez, M. Monserrat and Rodríguez-Rodríguez, Jesús
Abstract:
This document presents the results of an analysis of scientific production on digital competence in the educational field from a scientometric perspective, by analysing 150 documents available in Scopus. It also includes a complementary content analysis. The findings show the rise of the subject area in the European sphere. Regarding content, the terminological diversity used and the educational levels studied stand out. The conclusion is that teachers need more training in the didactic use of technologies to improve the development of digital competence in the educational system.
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Authors:
Vila-Couñago, Esther and Regueira, Uxía and Pernas-Morado, Eulogio
Abstract:
This article aims to evaluate the safety area of digital competence in pre-adolescents schooled in primary education as well as to understand the processes that interfere with the development of that area. A mixed research methodology was used through an exploratory sequential design with a qualitative phase (multiple case study) followed by quantitative phase (assessment test on safety). Particularly noteworthy among the results obtained is the influence of the family on the subcompetence of health protection as it is the one that worries families the most and where students score the highest on the test conducted.
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Authors:
Esteve-Mon, Francesc M. and Llopis-Nebot, María Ángeles and Adell-Segura, Jordi
Abstract:
The digital teaching competence is an emerging issue in scientific literature. However, despite existence of different frameworks that define it, most of them are focused on the pre-university level. This article presents the results of a systematic review of the literature on the digital teaching competence of university teachers, in the Web of Science and Scopus scientific databases. According to the results, university teachers must be competent enough to meet the new challenges of today's digital society. This digital competence, both technical and pedagogical, allows teachers to enrich their teaching, develop the digital competence of their students and continue to develop professionally. Regarding their level of digital teaching competence, most university teachers seem to have adequate technical digital competence. Nevertheless, the results regarding the pedagogical use of technologies are different, with lower levels being found in the use of technologies for their own teaching development.
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Authors:
Alonso-Ferreiro, Almudena and Fraga-Varela, Fernando and Guimeráns, Paola
Abstract:
This article discusses the plans that contribute to the development of digital competence for students in Galicia (Spain). From 1100 public schools, 18 programs were selected. A concurrent triangulation mixed-methods design was applied. The content analysis of the proposals has been combined with impact statistics in schools and a Geographic Information System (GIS). The results show prioritized digital competence dimensions and a partial projection across the set of schools: 26% do not incorporate any programs, whilst 5% implement five or more of these initiatives. The findings question the principle of equity in education that prevails in the public education system.
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Authors:
Bocconi, Stefania and Panesi, Sabrina and Kampylis, Panagiotis
Abstract:
This paper reports on interesting outcomes from the pilot initiative that deployed the SELFIE tool in a sample of 201 schools in Italy, involving a population of more than 31,000 school leaders, teachers and students. Developed by the European Commission's Joint Research Centre, SELFIE is based on the conceptual framework for Digitally-Competent Educational Organizations (DigCompOrg) and it aims at supporting schools to self-reflect on their digital capacity. Results show variance in the school leaders', teachers' and students' perception of their school's digital competence and different levels of use of digital technology. The paper also discusses the issue of the systemic approach needed to integrate, sustain and scale-up SELFIE in compulsory education, drawing some practical implications for other schools willing to adopt and adapt SELFIE to their local context.
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