PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Redefining the computer whiz: research shows diverse skills valued by youth

New study reveals diverse perceptions of the 'ideal' computer science student among young people

2024-08-12
(Press-News.org) FOR A COPY OF THE STUDY AHEAD OF PUBLICATION, PLEASE ENSURE YOU ARE SIGNED UP TO TAYLOR & FRANCIS’ EMBARGO AREA AND THEN VISIT: https://newsroom.taylorandfrancisgroup.com/redefining-the-computer-whiz-research-shows-diverse-skills-valued-by-youth/

New study reveals diverse perceptions of the 'ideal' computer science student among young people.

Researchers at the University of Reading, with colleagues at King's College London, have uncovered a more nuanced view of what makes an 'ideal' computer science student, challenging long-held stereotypes of geeky, clever, detail-oriented men, who lack social skills.

The research, published in Educational Review, analysed around 9000 responses from over 3,000 secondary school students aged 11-16 in England. While intelligence was still seen as important, the study found that young people value a much wider range of characteristics in computer science students, including creativity and collaboration.

Professor Billy Wong, University of Reading, said: "This is good news for widening participation in computer science education. Stereotypes exist for a reason but can be a powerful deterrent to participation by some underrepresented groups. Our findings show that young people recognise the importance of being knowledgeable and hardworking in computer science, and they also value softer traits such as creativity and collaboration. This challenges the popular stereotype of computer scientists as simply being 'clever' but socially challenged."

Key findings include:

- Eight main clusters of characteristics were identified: Smart & Clever; Knowledgeable & Interested; Determined & Hardworking; Kind & Helpful; Creative; Independent; Confident; and Collaborative.

- Students aspiring to careers in computer science were more likely to value diverse traits beyond just intelligence.

- Girls were more likely to describe the ideal computer science student as independent, but less likely to describe them as kind and helpful.

- Students from less advantaged backgrounds were more likely to focus on intelligence as the key trait.

Professor Wong added: "These insights can help educators and policymakers promote a more inclusive image of computer science. By highlighting the diverse skills valued in the field, we can encourage more young people to see themselves as potential computer scientists."

The study is part of the SCARI computing project, a three-year study funded by the Nuffield Foundation. It aims to understand factors shaping participation and performance in computer science education, with a focus on addressing the underrepresentation of girls in the field.

END


ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Fern becomes first in suborder to be classed as “independent gametophyte”

Fern becomes first in suborder to be classed as “independent gametophyte”
2024-08-10
Tokyo, Japan – Researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University have discovered that the fern Hymenasplenium murakami-hatanakae can become independent gametophytes i.e. live for long periods without a spore-producing sporophyte. They collected specimens from Izu-Oshima Island, Japan, and used DNA analysis to show that this Aspleniineae fern, a suborder encompassing thirty percent of ferns on the planet, was part of this rare class. Studying the species further promises to reveal more about how ferns diversify and adapt.   The “alternation of generations” in plants and algae is the intricate cycle by which they reproduce. Each ...

Study reveals Canadian wildfires are affecting US air quality and raising health concerns

2024-08-09
Climate-driven wildfire events are rapidly transferring harmful particulate matter containing toxic chemicals over long distances, compromising air quality in the New Jersey and New York City areas, according to Rutgers Health research. Published in Environmental Science & Technology and to be featured on the cover of the journal’s next issue, the study assessed the physical and chemical characteristics of wildfire-related particulate matter and was the first to report this characterization from a climate-driven wildfire event in the densely populated Northeast region. “Particulate ...

As temperatures break records, many are unaware of symptoms of heat-related illnesses

As temperatures break records, many are unaware of symptoms of heat-related illnesses
2024-08-09
PHILADELPHIA – With NASA data showing that July 22, 2024, was the hottest day on record and indications that July may have been the hottest month, an Annenberg Public Policy Center survey conducted in mid-July found that most people know three of the symptoms of a heat-related illness but do not know the location of their nearest cooling center. At the same time, increasing numbers of people think that heat waves are becoming more frequent and intense and affecting their daily activities. Knowledge of cooling centers in the case of extreme heat Although the locations of cooling centers, or indoor air-conditioned facilities such as libraries, ...

Researchers discover new mechanism to cool buildings while saving energy

Researchers discover new mechanism to cool buildings while saving energy
2024-08-09
With temperatures rising globally, the need for more sustainable cooling options is also growing. Researchers at UCLA and their colleagues have now found an affordable and scalable process to cool buildings in the summer and heat them in the winter. Led by Aaswath Raman, an associate professor of materials science and engineering at the UCLA Samueli School of Engineering, the research team recently published a study in Cell Reports Physical Science detailing a new method to manipulate the movement ...

New study will provide HIV prevention and treatment for incarcerated people with opioid use disorder

2024-08-09
The University of Massachusetts Amherst and Tufts Medical Center are conducting a study to provide HIV prevention, diagnosis and treatment for people with opioid use disorders who are incarcerated in the Boston area.  The study is funded with a $4.74 million CONNECT grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Elizabeth Evans, professor of community health education in the UMass Amherst School of Public Health and Health Sciences, and Dr. Alysse Wurcel, a ...

Russian invasion of Ukraine could have lasting impacts on global economy, environment

2024-08-09
As the Russian invasion of Ukraine stretches into its third year, international trade has felt the effects as sanctions on Russian exports have expanded. Now researchers have found that the invasion may not only have significant short-term impacts on the global timber markets but may leave lasting effects on the global economy and the environment. These findings are detailed in a new study which projects the impact of sanctions on Russia and military disruption in Ukraine on the global wood product markets. Researchers compared two projected scenario outcomes based on the Global Forest Products Market model, one ...

Investigating a critical factor for promoting drug-context associations and relapse

Investigating a critical factor for promoting drug-context associations and relapse
2024-08-09
Most people wouldn’t think twice after seeing sugar spilled on a counter. But for someone with a history of cocaine use, this visual cue could trigger powerful associations with their past drug use and a compulsive urge to seek the drug. Certain circuits within the brain help to form natural associations between one’s experiences and the context in which those experiences occur. These associations play a critical role in the orchestration of adaptive learning. When addictive substances are introduced, this coupling mechanism can be hijacked so that ...

New material for optically-controlled magnetic memory discovered

New material for optically-controlled magnetic memory discovered
2024-08-09
Researchers at the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering (PME) have made unexpected progress toward developing a new optical memory that can quickly and energy-efficiently store and access computational data. While studying a complex material composed of manganese, bismuth and tellurium (MnBi2Te4), the researchers realized that the material’s magnetic properties changed quickly and easily in response to light. This means that a laser could be used to encode information ...

Detroit research team to investigate fear of falling in MS patients

Detroit research team to investigate fear of falling in MS patients
2024-08-09
DETROIT — Taylor Takla, a Ph.D. candidate in the translational neuroscience program in Wayne State University’s School of Medicine, recently received a two-year, $96,812 F31 grant from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development of the National Institutes of Health to study fear of falling in those with multiple sclerosis (MS). The grant, “Investigating Fear of Falling in Multiple Sclerosis: An Interplay of Neural, Motor, Cognitive, and Psychological Factors,” aims to address a major public health concern in persons with MS that results in increased falls, decreased physical activity and ...

A new mechanism for shaping animal tissues

A new mechanism for shaping animal tissues
2024-08-09
A key question that remains in biology and biophysics is how three-dimensional tissue shapes emerge during animal development. Research teams from the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (MPI-CBG) in Dresden, Germany, the Excellence Cluster Physics of Life (PoL) at the TU Dresden, and the Center for Systems Biology Dresden (CSBD) have now found a mechanism by which tissues can be “programmed” to transition from a flat state to a three-dimensional shape. To accomplish this, the researchers looked at the development of the fruit fly Drosophila and its ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Protective genetic mutation offers new hope for understanding autism and brain development

Colombia's Dr. Natalia Acosta-Baena uncovers critical link between brain development and degeneration

How can we reduce adolescent pregnancies in low- and middle-income countries?

When sun protection begets malnutrition: vitamin D deficiency in Japanese women

Cannabis use can cause chromosomal damage, increasing cancer risk and harming offspring

Survey finds many Americans apply misguided and counterproductive advice to combat holiday weight gain

New study reveals half a century of change on Britain’s iconic limestone pavements

Green flight paths could unlock sustainable aviation, new research suggests

Community partners key to success of vaccine clinic focused on neurodevelopmental conditions

Low-carbon collaborative dual-layer optimization for energy station considering joint electricity and heat demand response

McMaster University researchers uncover potential treatment for rare genetic disorders

The return of protectionism: The impact of the Sino-US trade war

UTokyo and NARO develop new vertical seed distribution trait for soybean breeding

Research into UK’s use of plastic packaging finds households ‘wishcycle’ rather than recycle – risking vast contamination

Vaccine shows promise against aggressive breast cancer

Adverse events affect over 1 in 3 surgery patients, US study finds

Outsourcing adult social care has contributed to England’s care crisis, argue experts

The Lancet: Over 800 million adults living with diabetes, more than half not receiving treatment, global study suggests

New therapeutic approach for severe COVID-19: faster recovery and reduction in mortality

Plugged wells and reduced injection lower induced earthquake rates in Oklahoma

Yin selected as a 2024 American Society of Agronomy Fellow

Long Covid could cost the economy billions every year

Bluetooth technology unlocks urban animal secrets

This nifty AI tool helps neurosurgeons find sneaky cancer cells

Treatment advances, predictive biomarkers stand to improve bladder cancer care

NYC's ride-hailing fee failed to ease Manhattan traffic, new NYU Tandon study reveals

Meteorite contains evidence of liquid water on Mars 742 million years ago

Self-reported screening helped reduce distressing symptoms for pediatric patients with cancer

Which risk factors are linked to having a severe stroke?

Opening borders for workers: Abe’s profound influence on Japan’s immigration regime

[Press-News.org] Redefining the computer whiz: research shows diverse skills valued by youth
New study reveals diverse perceptions of the 'ideal' computer science student among young people