Exploring young people’s perceptions and discourses of technology occupations through descriptive drawings and a questionnaire

Grønhøj, E. O., Wong, B. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7310-6418 and Bundsgaard, J. (2024) Exploring young people’s perceptions and discourses of technology occupations through descriptive drawings and a questionnaire. Computer Science Education. ISSN 1744-5175 doi: 10.1080/08993408.2024.2385876

Abstract/Summary

Background and Context Cultural and social influences from peers, family, and media shape young people’s views on technology careers. This study examines Danish students’ perceptions and discourses of IT professionals and technology occupations. Objective Unlike earlier studies focusing on STEM as a monolith, this study specifically addresses technology through descriptive drawings and Latent Profile Analysis (LPA). Method We analyse Danish students’ (aged 14–15) perceptions and discourses of IT professionals through descriptive drawings (N = 1,155) and LPA applied to close-ended items from a large questionnaire (N = 1,456). Findings Thematic analysis identified six groups of IT professionals: 1) Sedentary, 2) Antisocial and Nerdy, 3) Sad, 4) Ordinary, 5) Smart, and 6) Kind. The LPA identified four profiles, revealing complex subtleties and gender differences in students’ perceptions. Implications Implications for practice and future research are suggested, highlighting the potential benefits of combining these methods to explore young people’s constructions of IT professionals.

Item Type	Article
URI	https://reading-clone.eprints-hosting.org/id/eprint/117506
Identification Number/DOI	10.1080/08993408.2024.2385876
Refereed	Yes
Divisions	Arts, Humanities and Social Science > Institute of Education > Improving Equity and Inclusion through Education
Publisher	Taylor & Francis
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