Women's Involvement in the Field of Computer Programming: A Systematic Mapping Study

There is a shortage of programmers in the labor market and the situation is even more critical when it comes to women. This paper explores the literature related to the involvement of women, specifically female students, in the field of computer programming. The goal is to encourage young women to actively participate in computer programming, so they can contribute not only during their studies, but also in their later careers. The field of computer programming was chosen because of the indispensability of computer programs in everyday life and their wide application. A Systematic Mapping Study (SMS) was conducted, collecting a total of 361 publications from two databases (Scopus and Web of Science). The results showed that most of the researchers are based in the United States. The majority of publications include various observations and explanations regarding gender differences in computer science education. A significant portion of the literature also examines proposals for achieving gender balance in computer science education programs. Regional distributions were identified and ideas for future research were considered.