Theorising about gender and computing interventions through an evaluation framework

Despite over 20 years of intervention programmes , the gender balance in the computing profession is not improving . It has been suggested that the problem with much of the research on gender and computing is that it is under‐theorised . The contribution of this study is an evaluation framework , designed to evaluate gender and computing interventions , which will advance the theorisation of research through programme evaluation . This study was undertaken in three phases : The first involved theory building through an extensive review of the literature resulting in a conceptual framework for intervention programme evaluation . The second phase consisted of a multiple‐case study of 14 major intervention programmes in Australia . Subsequent modifications to the conceptual framework resulted in the gender and computing intervention evaluation framework . The value of the framework was confirmed in phase three by intervention experts and showed that applying the framework will help programme champions to evaluate their programmes more thoroughly . The dissemination of sound evaluation results will then enable a deeper theorisation of the issues surrounding gender and computing interventions .