Student perceptions about age, gender, computer literacy and design aspects: A longitudinal study

Studies done in different countries have found that beginning computer science students think older people are less likely to use computers. To understand the impact this may have on the designs conceived, some studies investigated the design aspects suggested for younger and older, women and men. We asked the same cohort of students the same questions about perceived computer literacy and design aspects at the beginning and end of their bachelor's degree to see if these views persist. Three runs of the questionnaire were done, each with more than 95 participants: a) first year students, b) shortly before or after graduation and c) students starting after the COVID-19 lock-downs (to check this was not a significant factor). Mixed methods were used to analyze the differences between the beginning and end of their studies. We analyzed if the stage in studies was a factor in their perceptions of computer use. We also compared the design aspects suggested at each stage, to see if more aspects of user experience were included for all people. Since many older people have limitations, we also evaluated whether the aspects mentioned covered the accessibility recommendations for older people. Although biases towards older people remain, graduates perceive less difference in the likelihood of regular use by young and old. Regarding design, aspects related to usability are mentioned more often for all ages. For older, less focus is put on large fonts alone and other aspects of accessibility are mentioned more often.