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Autori principali: Meegammana, Poornima, Meegammana, Niranjan, Jayalath, Chathurika, Munasinghe, Chethya, Gupta, Kunal
Natura: Preprint
Pubblicazione: 2026
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Accesso online:https://arxiv.org/abs/2604.07638
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author Meegammana, Poornima
Meegammana, Niranjan
Jayalath, Chathurika
Munasinghe, Chethya
Gupta, Kunal
author_facet Meegammana, Poornima
Meegammana, Niranjan
Jayalath, Chathurika
Munasinghe, Chethya
Gupta, Kunal
contents Girls remain underrepresented in computing, and rural contexts often compound barriers of access, language, and gender norms. Prior work in computing education highlights that confidence and belonging can shape participation, yet most evidence comes from well-resourced, English-dominant settings. Less is known about how locally grounded pathways can build programming self-efficacy and broaden career interest for adolescent girls. We addressed this gap by delivering a curriculum that began with digital foundations and unplugged problem-solving, then progressed to block-based programming activities, supported by parent awareness and teacher training in gender-responsive practices. Pre and post-surveys showed a reliable increase in programming self-efficacy, and career aspirations shifted toward technology. Complementary qualitative data indicate that mastery experiences, peer collaboration, and the creation of personal projects were key drivers of confidence, suggesting design priorities for scalable, locally relevant programmes in low-resource communities that can shift perceptions of who belongs in computing.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2604_07638
institution arXiv
publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle From Uncertainty to Possibility: Early Computing Experiences for Rural Girls
Meegammana, Poornima
Meegammana, Niranjan
Jayalath, Chathurika
Munasinghe, Chethya
Gupta, Kunal
Human-Computer Interaction
Girls remain underrepresented in computing, and rural contexts often compound barriers of access, language, and gender norms. Prior work in computing education highlights that confidence and belonging can shape participation, yet most evidence comes from well-resourced, English-dominant settings. Less is known about how locally grounded pathways can build programming self-efficacy and broaden career interest for adolescent girls. We addressed this gap by delivering a curriculum that began with digital foundations and unplugged problem-solving, then progressed to block-based programming activities, supported by parent awareness and teacher training in gender-responsive practices. Pre and post-surveys showed a reliable increase in programming self-efficacy, and career aspirations shifted toward technology. Complementary qualitative data indicate that mastery experiences, peer collaboration, and the creation of personal projects were key drivers of confidence, suggesting design priorities for scalable, locally relevant programmes in low-resource communities that can shift perceptions of who belongs in computing.
title From Uncertainty to Possibility: Early Computing Experiences for Rural Girls
topic Human-Computer Interaction
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2604.07638