Stereotypes matter: Computer science needs better role models

Painting by Alfred Edward Chalon (1780–1860)

White, male, billionaire entrepreneurs fuel stereotypes that compound the issues surrounding diversity in technology and computer science, according to a new study.

The identities of famous people contribute a lot to stereotypes in their respective domains. Prominent public figures can easily become influential to young people. But are these role models effective for creating a diverse community of computer science students? That, at this point in time, seems unlikely.

The study, carried out by the University of Reading and published today in the Oxford Review of Education, asks nearly 1800 children which notable people in computing they are aware of. Their top ten:

1. Bill Gates
2. Alan Turing
3. Steve Jobs
4. Elon Musk
5. Mark Zuckerberg
6. Jeff Bezos
7. Ada Lovelace
8. Stephen Hawking (a renowned physicist)
9. Grace Hopper
10. Charles Babbage

Professor Billy Wong, University of Reading, led the study. He said: “What immediately jumps out is the dominance of white men in this list. Most children were only aware of one or two women, for example, and almost always the same two – Ada Lovelace and Grace Hopper.

“There are no people of colour in the top ten. And although Turing was gay, he was also famously prosecuted and punished for ‘homosexual acts’, which seems to have haunted the rest of his all too short life. There is even a scientist in the top ten who wasn’t a computer scientist at all! And many of these people come from wealthy families, not ordinary working class communities.

“All of this speaks to the lack of diverse role models being presented to children. They do exist but they aren’t part of the discourse, and some of the people who gain the spotlight might not actually be good role models, at all, regardless of stereotypes. The problem with that is that to a young girl, a black boy, a queer kid, or a kid from a council estate, it is a lot harder to see that computer science is for them – they do not fit the stereotypes that are now established in their minds. And if they aren’t there to represent their communities, the outcomes of computer science are likely to be less relevant and useful to them.”

1788 children, aged 11-16, in England, completed a questionnaire, providing 4112 entries of named famous computer scientists. There were two main groups:

1. Billionaire tech entrepreneurs
2. Historic academics

Billionaire tech entrepreneurs may present motivating factors, such as the quest for money and fame – which was clearly fascinating for boys in the study. However, their dominance runs the risk of reinforcing opinions that computing tends to be ‘patriarchal and dominated by capitalist-driven discourses’.

Professor Wong continued: “For example, the approach tends to be neoliberal in flavour, and, as such, the focus in education is on skills for businesses, primarily aimed at revenue generation. This then neglects other vital areas of education such as digital literacy, data privacy and surveillance, and the related social, political and ethical consequences of developments in the field. To plough on with development, without addressing all of these factors, is hugely risky, both economically and socially. The field of computer science should be much more worried about this than is currently apparent.”

Historic academics are mentioned in smaller numbers – perhaps not surprisingly, given the huge share of media coverage afforded to the billionaire entrepreneurs mentioned. Children might learn about these figures in lessons but probably don’t encounter them elsewhere in their lives. They aren’t particularly relatable to young people, so researchers are sceptical about the scope of influence they might have.

One in ten entries gave a response of “I don’t know”, which is also notable. And some named Steven Hawking and/or Einstein – both theoretical physicists – after resorting to wider STEM figures, presumably due to a lack of awareness of famous computer scientists.

The researchers are keen to see change via a broadening of potential role models.

Professor Wong said: “Media discourse and the educational curriculum both have to change if we are to have greater diversity in computing. Without major shifts, computing will continue to be homogenous and will struggle to serve diverse communities with new tools and technologies that make a genuine difference in their lives.

“Role models from diverse backgrounds are, thankfully, out there in small numbers. We now have to ensure that they are lifted up and brought into consciousness, in the way we have done with white, upper class, men, for well over a century. It is important that young people can see themselves represented in the field, as this visibility can reinforce the message that computing and technology can, and should, reflect the society it aims to serve”

This research is part of a 3-year project, funded by the Nuffield Foundation. SCARICOMP (subject choice, attainment and representation in computing) is carried out in partnership with King’s College London.