M. Rottenhofer, C. Hörmann, E. Schmidthaler, B. Sabitzer, I. Groher: Let IT Dance! Experience Computer Science with Dance and Music, Austrian Citizen Science Conference 2023 (ACSC2023), Volume 442, JKU Linz, Austria, April 19-21, 2023. Doi: 10.22323/1.442.0008
The underrepresentation of women in the IT sector is a persistent issue that hampers diversity and innovation. The project “Let IT Dance!” addresses this problem by aiming to inspire and engage girls and young women in the IT sector, and related subjects by letting them experience computer science (CS) with dance and music. This paper explores the objectives and strategies of the project, which include reducing the gender gap in IT interest, drop-out, and performance, simplifying complex IT and programming concepts, integrating innovative teaching concepts, developing a learning analytics platform, and raising awareness about cybercrime. The target group of the project spans from kindergarten to university level, as inspiring individuals for IT from an early age is crucial. By consciously integrating stereotypes and incorporating creative content, such as dance and music, the project seeks to shed a different light on computer science, to spark interest among girls and encourage them to pursue educational and professional careers in the IT sector.