Abstract:

This study aims to explore undergraduate women’s perspectives on the challenges they face and success strategies they use in pursuing their academic degree in IT, and what they see as important factors to successfully navigate through the pipeline. The proposed Research questions are:

1. What factors do undergraduate women see as important for their success in IT majors?

2. What are the challenges that undergraduate women in the IT field face when pursuing their academic degrees?

3. What are their success strategies?

The primary participants in this research proposal are undergraduate women in IT recruited from universities in Kazakhstan. The data collection process involves two stages. First, the recruited participants are asked to use an AI tool to graphically visualize the desired but possibly “missing ingredients” to successfully pursue their studies and career in IT as a woman. The participants will be asked to create graphic images using Midjourney, a text-to-image generator that is able to create highly customizable and high-quality images. Second, in-depth semistructured face-to-face follow-up interviews are planned in order to probe further into the participants' subjective interpretations of the AI-generated images. Beyond these interpretations, the interview questions might shed light to personal and institutional factors that impact young women's choices to major in computer science and information technology, continue their education, or possibly leave the field altogether. This multifaceted research design ensures a holistic understanding of the experiences and factors influencing the academic and professional trajectories of IT undergraduate female students.

The outcomes of the research might be useful for stakeholders and influence education policy by advocating for targeted initiatives supporting female participation in IT education, potentially leading to more inclusive policies in Kazakhstani higher education institutions. Revealing potential challenges and success strategies of undergraduate women in IT, and the factors that they see as needed for their success, might prompt the integration of support mechanisms within educational practices and policies, promoting a more supportive environment for pursuing an IT degree in Kazakhstan.