Girls and Technology

From infancy, our culture teaches us what it means to be a boy or a girl. It dictates the color of clothes we wear, the type of toys we play with and quite possibly the type of profession we pursue. Young people, especially pre-teens, are influenced by a ton of messages that promote conformity to a set of expectations that influence them to buy the latest gadgets and to preserve the rigid values that stress the difference between genders.

A stereotype confirms the belief that if you are a boy or a girl, a man or a woman, you must perform certain of the specific roles that the stereotype portrays. This takes away our personal choice in determining our own interests, skills and even professions. This discourages men from participating in certain areas and it restricts women from choosing roles that are traditionally considered “male”. Stereotypes are so destructive because they limit our potential.

Despite what people may belief or what some statistics show, there is a strong stereotype that exists that sends the message that females and technology just don’t mix. According to Tech Savvy: Educating Girls in the New Computer Age, the gender gap just keeps getting larger and larger and there are less and less women professionals in the field of information technology. In the United States, about 20% of all professionals in this field are women.

Tech Savvy also states that there are less and less females graduating with computer science degrees despite the fact that there are more females than ever graduating from university.

It is not surprising that there are also less females enrolled in advanced computer classes in high school and college.

So what can we do to combat this stereotype and to try and promote technology with females? As teachers we must set good examples because children learn by example. We must provide activities that encourage students to ask questions rather than passively accept what they see and hear. Students must be encouraged to challenge the stereotypes.

Grade 7 PDR Outcome: -Students should be able to demonstrate an awareness of gender-based trends and issues in the workplace. Grade 8 PDR Outcome: - Students should be able to demonstrate an awareness of social influences that contribute to gender stereotypes.

Activity # 1: Divide a sheet of white paper in half. On one half, draw a picture of someone who is very capable with technology.

On the other half of the paper, draw someone who is not very capable with technology.

These are some samples from my grade 7 class of people who are not good with technology.

These are samples of their “techies”.

Next, make 2 boxes on the board and in the first box list all of the adjectives, qualities or personality traits that the person who is capable with technology possess. UglyVery Smart WeirdAnti-Social SmartMale Not well likedSpends hours on computers BoyNo friends LoserMan NerdyGood job GeekMakes lots of money Has glassesRich Goes to university (or did) Enjoys reading Can take apart and rebuild anything This is the list my class made:

In the second box, students place their comments about a person who is not competent with technology. PopularCool Loves sportsFriendly SocialIn-style Not very smartGirl PrettyHas lots of friends Not nerdyGirly PunkBoy crazy ClumsySnobby DumbPreppy BlondeDoesn’t work FemaleLow paying job Ditsy This is the list my class made:

Lots of discussion should now take place about what the box represents and the consequences of someone who is good with technology but does not fit the “person” in the box or who is not good with technology and does not have similar qualities listed inside that box. Students should be aware of the social influences placed on people and that the box in fact represents society.

Where am I going from here? Later on this year in my PDR class, the students will be participating in the Real Life Game. During this game, students look at gender issues with regards to different professions and more specifically stereotypes that exist for their given profession. Every opportunity that I have to promote gender equity in my class I do. At the grade 7 level, students are very much aware that it exists and are very capable of sitting down and having a mature conversation about the matter. I explain the importance of them being role models to the younger students and how they are the future society. They are very quick to point out that the reason these stereotypes exist is because society creates and maintains these misconceptions. They don’t always see that they are society and they can make a difference.