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"I Am Not Enough": Impostor Phenomenon Experiences of University Students

Authors:

Angela Zavaleta Bernuy,

Brian Harrington,

Andrew PetersenAuthors Info & Claims

ITiCSE 2023: Proceedings of the 2023 Conference on Innovation and Technology in Computer Science Education V. 1

Pages 313 - 319

https://doi.org/10.1145/3587102.3588779

Published: 30 June 2023 Publication History

Abstract

Recent work has confirmed that computing students experience the Imposter Phenomenon (IP) at higher rates than reported in other disciplines. However, no work has examined what aspects of the university computing experience might lead to a higher rate of IP experiences. We aim to illustrate the IP experiences students have, identify common sources of these experiences, and document the effects of these experiences and how students respond to them. We asked undergraduate students to share recent experiences that illustrate their experiences with the IP. We conducted an inductive thematic analysis on these open-ended responses, resulting in a set of inter-connected themes. A significant fraction of students related stories about making comparisons with peers or observing peer behaviour that made them question their abilities. Students also spoke about holding unrealistic expectations learned from their peers or imposed by the environment. These experiences may be particularly acute for minority-affiliated students who may come to feel they do not belong. Ultimately, these IP experiences can lead to a loss of motivation or a cycle of failure that leads students to leave computing. The central role social comparisons play in IP experiences suggests that it is particularly important to foster communities where opportunities for comparison are reduced and where realistic expectations are explicitly set.

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Cited By

Sibia NBui GWang BTan YZavaleta Bernuy ABauer CWilliams JLiut MPetersen AStephenson BStone JBattestilli LRebelsky SShoop L(2024)Examining Intention to Major in Computer Science: Perceived Potential and ChallengesProceedings of the 55th ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education V. 110.1145/3626252.3630843(1237-1243)Online publication date: 7-Mar-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3626252.3630843
Feijóo-García Pde Siqueira ARodríguez-Rey TOmojokun O(2024)Navigating the Impostor Phenomenon in Computer Science Education: Insights from Two Major Southeastern Institutions in the United States2024 IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE)10.1109/FIE61694.2024.10893023(1-6)Online publication date: 13-Oct-2024
https://doi.org/10.1109/FIE61694.2024.10893023

Index Terms

"I Am Not Enough": Impostor Phenomenon Experiences of University Students
1. Social and professional topics
  1. Professional topics
    1. Computing education

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cover image ACM Conferences

ITiCSE 2023: Proceedings of the 2023 Conference on Innovation and Technology in Computer Science Education V. 1

June 2023

694 pages

ISBN:9798400701382

DOI:10.1145/3587102

General Chairs:
Mikko-Jussi Laakso
University of Turku, Finland
,
Mattia Monga
University of Milan, Italy
,
Program Chairs:
Simon
Unaffiliated, Australia
,
Judithe Sheard
Monash University, Australia

Copyright © 2023 ACM.

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Published: 30 June 2023

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ITiCSE 2023: Innovation and Technology in Computer Science Education

July 7 - 12, 2023

Turku, Finland

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Overall Acceptance Rate 552 of 1,613 submissions, 34%

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June 27 - July 2, 2025

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Cited By

Sibia NBui GWang BTan YZavaleta Bernuy ABauer CWilliams JLiut MPetersen AStephenson BStone JBattestilli LRebelsky SShoop L(2024)Examining Intention to Major in Computer Science: Perceived Potential and ChallengesProceedings of the 55th ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education V. 110.1145/3626252.3630843(1237-1243)Online publication date: 7-Mar-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3626252.3630843
Feijóo-García Pde Siqueira ARodríguez-Rey TOmojokun O(2024)Navigating the Impostor Phenomenon in Computer Science Education: Insights from Two Major Southeastern Institutions in the United States2024 IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE)10.1109/FIE61694.2024.10893023(1-6)Online publication date: 13-Oct-2024
https://doi.org/10.1109/FIE61694.2024.10893023

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