Change in order not to change: ultraorthodox hasidic women’s experience in studying computer science

ABSTRACT

Background and Context

In line with interest in recruiting underrepresented groups to CS studies, our study dealt with Israeli Hasidic young women who successfully studied CS at an academic institute.

Objective

We investigated what factors governed Hasidic young women’s decision to enrol in a CS program and shaped their studying experience.

Method

Interviews with 10 final-year students on their decision to study CS and their experience of it, were followed by a questionnaire administrated to all the students in the programme. We compared the Hasidic students’ grades to other female students in identical programs. Repeated measures ANOVA enabled us to rank the factors according to their importance to the participants.

Findings

While economic status was a powerful motivating factor, the specific programme was chosen due students’ desire to be socially isolated. Students were constantly distracted by encounters with the outside world. Nevertheless, and despite their economic difficulties and wide knowledge gaps, their academic achievements were similar to those of other female groups.

Implications

This group was unique in terms of the factors underlying their decision to enrol in a CS program. Attempts to expand the diversity of CS students would benefit from understanding the unique context of the underrepresented group.

KEYWORDS:

• women
• underrepresentation
• Computer Science
• culture
• Hasidic

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Y. Ben-David Kolikant

Yifat Ben-David Kolikant is an associate professor in the School of Education at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Dr. Ben-David Kolikant’s research revolves around two inter-related questions: (1) How does students’ knowledge of subjects outside of school impact on their school learning? And, (2) what pedagogies are suited to the information age and the needs of students and what role does technology play? Dr. Ben-David Kolikant holds a Ph.D. degree in science teaching from the Weizmann Institute of Science, received in 2002.

Sara Genut is currently the Academic Head of the Tal Campus, at the Lev Academic Center in Jerusalem. Dr. Genut oversees multiple departments, which include Engineering, Computer Science, Nursing, Accounting, and Business Administration. She has served as an adviser to the Israeli Ministry of Education. She led the effort in adopting reforms in Science and Technology Educational Systems. Her research focuses on Science Education. Dr. Genut holds a Ph.D. in Science Education from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel, received in 2001.