Addressing The Obstacles Encountered by Girls in Informatics: Insights from a Case Study of Czechitas

Objectives. This study investigates the barriers faced by female students in informatics education and identifies effective strategies to support their participation. The research specifically examines obstacles that discourage girls from pursuing informatics as well as best practices that can increase their engagement, drawing insights from the Czechitas initiative in the Czech Republic, a country with one of the lowest representations of women in ICT in the European Union. Participants . The participants were nine individuals (three trainers and six coaches) involved in the Czechitas Summer School program in July 2022. All coaches were former students of past Czechitas summer schools who now help and mentor new students. The trainers were experienced educators who had been working with Czechitas for an extended period. The Summer School program itself is directed towards girls aged 15-19, introducing them to various aspects of information technology. Study Method . This qualitative research employed a hermeneutical phenomenological approach to capture participants’ lived experiences regarding barriers to girls studying informatics and effective strategies to overcome these barriers. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with the nine participants during the Czechitas Summer School held at the Faculty of Informatics, Masaryk University. Each interview lasted 20-25 minutes and included questions about barriers faced by females in informatics, reasons for gender disparity, and strategies to enhance girls’ participation. Interview data were analyzed inductively, with recordings transcribed, coded into meaningful parts, and organized into themes. Investigator triangulation and interrater reliability were used to enhance the validity of the findings. Findings . The study identified four major obstacles that female students face in informatics: (1) lack of interest, connected to absence of role models and late contact with computers; (2) social prejudices, including lack of sense of belonging and insufficient support; (3) misconceptions about informatics being exclusively about coding; and (4) problematic classroom environments characterized by boring content, unsupportive teachers, and discouraging atmospheres. The research also revealed two categories of effective practices to support female students: motivational strategies during instruction (creating safe learning environments, having friendly teachers, implementing hands-on practices, using physical tools, and showing results before teaching processes) and career encouragement practices (family and teacher support, promoting diverse informatics careers in schools, specialized summer schools, and linking informatics with other disciplines). Conclusions . This research demonstrates that female underrepresentation in informatics stems not from lack of interest or capability, but from systemic barriers that can be addressed through evidence-based strategies. The success of the Czechitas initiative, having influenced over 70,000 women in Czechia to enter IT fields, illustrates how targeted interventions can create a virtuous cycle where participants become mentors and role models. The findings highlight the importance of creating supportive learning environments, challenging stereotypes, demonstrating the field’s diversity, and providing engaging, hands-on learning experiences. By implementing these strategies, educators and program developers can significantly increase female participation in informatics education and careers, addressing the persistent gender gap in this field.