PENSAMENTO COMPUTACIONAL E GÊNERO UMA ANÁLISE NO ENSINO SUPERIOR EM COMPUTAÇÃO

Abstract

Computational Thinking (CT) has been the focus of research not only in Computing,but also in several other areas of knowledge. Among these factors, gender stands out, mainly due to the discrepancy in the participation of female students in higher education in Computer Science courses. Based on this, this study aims to analyze the aspect of CT associated with gender for students entering the Bachelor's Degree in Information Systems (BSI) in 2025. Thus, this study was conducted to analyze possible factors associated with PC and how it can contribute to reducing gender inequality in higher education, considering the entry of girls into computer science. The research adopted a mixed approach, considering quantitative and qualitative analyses. In the quantitative stage, a validated questionnaire was applied to identify possible significant differences between girls and boys in terms of performance in CT. The data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, including the T-test, in order to identify possible significant differences and relationships between gender and CT. The results indicated that there are no statistically significant differences, concluding that boys and girls show similar levels of CT development. In the qualitative stage, we sought to understand which factors may be associated with the success and retention of girls in computing. To this end, we adopted Grounded Theory procedures as an analysis method that allowed us to identify factors that contribute to gender equality, such as the inclusion of subjects and projects that encourage computing and female participation. Finally, as future work, we intend to expand the sample, relating not only new entrants but all students enrolled in the BSI at the Federal Institute of Goiás - Ceres Campus, in order to deepen our understanding of the relationship between CT and gender in the general context of higher education in Computer Science.