Class/Lab Set Up

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What is the Action?

Intelligently manage lab or class set up to encourage women’s participation.

Quick Facts to Support this Action

Placing a female student in a group with at least one other female to help reducing levels of isolation has been part of succesful efforts for students experience and retention at TU Dublin.

Ways to Implement this Action

Expand by clicking on each of the options below.

➤ Female Students in a Group with Other Females

When creating lab groups or assignment work groups, avoid having any female student as the only female in the group if possible.

➤ Split into Skill Based Groups

Try to keep female students with similar programming experience together in a class and not mix novices with more experienced programmers. One way of doing that is to split the whole class into groups (e.g., beginner, somewhat experienced, advanced) by experience based on a quick in-class assessment.

➤ Keep Focus

Keep focus on less experienced learners should they need help. Supporting less experienced students requires balancing guidance with respect for their independence. Use subtle approaches such as visible help signals (e.g., sticky notes, flags, or an online help queue), class-wide chat channels for silent questions, and short “pause and share” moments to address common mistakes without singling anyone out. When approaching students directly, use inclusive phrases such as “I’m doing a quick round to see how everyone is going” or “Many students have run into this — have you noticed it too?” rather than “Do you need help?”.

➤ Familiarity with Students

Try to remember and address students by their names, if possible. A good way of remembering their names might be to call them out during the class regularly to check attendance.

➤ Follow Up Absences

Where applicable, follow up with individual students on their lack of attendance. Make a note of those missing the class and either address them during the next session or contact them separately, via email.

➤ Student TAs

Use student teaching assistants (undergraduate or postgraduate) in classes/labs where possible.

Evaluation Approach

Survey students to get an idea on whether the change has positively impacted them. Proposed ideas for the survey questions based on what was possibly implemented from the Ways to Implement This Action section, with suggested response options:

Female Groups

  • In your group activities, did you feel that gender balance was considered when forming groups? (Likert scale items from Always to Never)

  • Did you ever feel isolated or singled out because of being the only female (or minority) in a group? (Yes/No)

  • Please share any experiences about group composition that affected your learning or comfort level. (Open-ended question)

    Split into Skill-Based Groups

    • Were you placed in a group that matched your programming experience level? (Yes / No / Not sure)

    • Did grouping by experience level help you learn more effectively? (Likert scale items from Strongly agree to Strongly disagree)

    • Please share your thoughts on whether grouping by skill was beneficial or not. (Open-ended question)

    Keep Focus on less experienced learners

    • Did you feel that students with less experience received adequate attention from the instructor/TA? (Scale 1–5)

    • If you were less experienced, did this support help you progress in your learning? (Yes/No/Open-ended)

    Familiarity with Students (names/recognition)

    • Did the lecturer/TA attempt to learn and use student names during class? (Yes/No/Not sure)

    • Did – and how – being addressed by name make you feel more engaged or connected in the class? (Scale 1–5)

    Follow Up Absences

    • Were you contacted or acknowledged if you missed class sessions? (Yes/No/Not applicable)

    • Did follow-ups (if any) make you feel supported by the lecturer? (Scale 1–5)

    Student TAs

    • Did the presence of student teaching assistants make it easier to ask questions or get help during labs/classes? (Likert scale from Much easier to Harder)

    • How satisfied were you with the support provided by student TAs? (Scale 1–5)

    Next Actions to Consider

    Consider using this action along with some others, such as Personalised Feedback or Pair Programming.

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    S. McKeever and D. Lillis. Addressing the Recruitment and Retention of Female Students in Computer Science at Third Level, 2021. https://arxiv.org/pdf/2110.06090.pdf 

    Minerva-Awards. Enrolment and retention of female students in computer science programmes. University of Bamberg (Winner). 2018.