An Initiative to Increase Female Participation in Programming Competitions: an Experience Report

• Alice Lima UnB
• Maria Eduarda Santos UnB
• Tong Zhou UnB
• Maristela Holanda UnB https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0883-2579
• Aleteia P. F. Araujo UnB
• Carla Cavalcante Koike UnB
• Vinícius R. P. Borges UnB
• Roberta B. Oliveira UnB

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5753/wit.2021.15858

Abstract

Programming competitions may provide several skills to participants. Currently, female participation is still not very significant in programming competitions. This paper presents an initiative carried out in the Department of Computer Science of the University of Brasilia, with the objective of increasing the number of girls in programming competitions and therefore, allowing them to have opportunities to obtain the skills provided by the competitions. The results of the initiative showed that girls felt more motivated and they participated in more activities related to programming competitions than in previous years.

Keywords: Programming competitions, Female participation, Higher education

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