Computer science camps to reduce the gender gap: a proposal for effective design and impact evaluation

Background and Context: According to recent data, women are still severely underrepresented in Computer Science (CS) in both European and American job markets. To attract female students to CS, several extracurricular initiatives have been started. However, the lack of shared formats and evaluation methods makes it difficult to design effective CS programs and evaluate their impacts. Objectives: We propose an evaluation tool to assess the impact of the main camp features on the participants, with a particular focus on how these experiences influence female students' future study and career plans. We introduce a guideline for adapting and applying this tool in specific contexts, providing a structured approach to evaluating and refining CS education camps. Method: We collected relevant literature to synthesize an analysis tool and develop a procedure for evaluating the outcomes of outreach activities. We defined an analysis procedure and provided ready-to-use notebooks for assessing the actual impact of camp activities through regression analysis. Findings: The resulting tool streamlines the evaluation process, covering every phase from data collection to analysis. It guides the analyst in refining and verifying the results' validity before proceeding with the final analysis. The procedure highlights the most effective camp design choices to trigger positive attitudes among female students towards CS. Implications: Implementing activities that expose girls to computer science is not sufficient in making them aspire to work or study in this field. Teachers and educators need practical guidance on evaluating their design choices to implement effective education camps and measure their impacts.