1. Play Like a Girl: A Look at Games and Coding
Dr. Kari Stubbs
@KariStubbs
Vice President, BrainPOP
Play Like a Girl: A Look at Games and Coding
Dr. Julie Evans
@JulieEvans_PT
CEO, Project Tomorrow
June 27, 2016

2. Play Like a Girl: A Look at Games and Coding
Our exploration today:
Gain a new understanding about using games and coding activities to engage girls in STEM learning
Play games! Experience game play using a wide variety of game types and formats
Learn how to evaluate gender sensitivity in games and other forms of digital content
Share the experience with others in the workshop

3. (c) Project Tomorrow 2016

4. Use your devices to tweet your ideas or comments during today’s session – and play games!
@JulieEvans_PT
@KariStubbs
#ISTE2016
(c) Project Tomorrow 2016

5. BrainPOP

6. Let’s talk about women in STEM!
24%
14% 9%
18%
37%

7. Let’s talk about women in STEM!
14% of senior management jobs in tech start ups
Women hold 24% of STEM jobs:
9% of IT management jobs
18%
37%

8. Let’s talk about women in STEM!
14% of senior management jobs in tech start ups
Women hold 24% of STEM jobs:
9% of IT management jobs
2015: 18% of CS majors are women
1983: 37% of CS majors are women

9. What is the state of the pipeline for girls in STEM?

10. What is the state of the pipeline for girls in STEM?
Speak Up Research Project in Digital Learning
Data collected from over 400,000 K-12 students in fall 2015
Annual research project – 4.5 million surveys submitted since 2003
Student are polled about digital learning and STEM career interests

11. What is the state of the pipeline for girls in STEM?
Research findings from the Speak Up Project:
Girls’ interest in STEM careers
Ways to explore STEM careers
Self-assessment of technology skills
Digital game play as a gender equalizer

12. What is your level of interest in a STEM career field?
N = 138,813 Gr 6-12 students

13. Different ways to explore careers
What would be most helpful in exploring a career?
Gr 6-8 Boys
Gr 6-8 Girls
Traditional Approaches:
Get real life experience (job, volunteering)
66%
77%
Take field trips to see career in action
58%
68%
Work with mentors
40%
52%
Digital Approaches:
Watch videos/movies about different jobs
50%
Play a digital or online game about a career
46%
Use mobile apps or websites
42%
Learn about careers through social media
37%
Earn a digital badge
22%
13%

14. Self-assessment of technology skills Tech Skill Level Students:
Grade 3 - 5
Grade 6 – 12
Girls
Boys
Advanced
22%
34%
19%
36%
Average
61%
52%
77%
Beginner
17%
14% 4% 3%
N = 160,503, Gr 3-12 students

15. Playing digital games for learning Grades Girls Boys
K-2
77%
Gr 3-5
65%
Gr 6-8
22%
24%
Gr 9-12
16%
N = 192,483 K – 12 students

16. Girls and boys value game play differently
Games increase my interest in school
Games provide a more interesting way to learn
Games make it easier to understand difficult concepts
I learn more through a game
Games personalize my learning
Boys:
Games make it easier to understand difficult concepts
Games increase my interest in school
Games provide a more interesting way to learn
Games adapt to what I know or need to know
I am a better thinker and problem solver when I play games

17. Considers gender norms, role and relationships
Defining gender sensitivity:
Considers gender norms, role and relationships
Takes into account impact of policies, projects and programs on women/girls and men/boys
Tries to mitigate negative consequences of the gender impact

18. Evaluating the gender-sensitivity of digital content
Questions for Consideration Guide (Worksheet)
Characterization
Are there differences in the types of roles or activities ascribed to the characters based upon gender?
Imagery and Language
Is the use of language, words and phrases within the content free of traditional stereotypes or gender bias? Are loaded words used?
Storyline
Are women/girls or men/boys represented as central characters within the content storyline or the game?
Results
What types of messages are articulated in the digital content about
gender differences? Are those messages positive or negative?

21. Let’s play more games!
Three sections – each section has a different set of games:
Play the games individually or with an elbow partner
Use the Project Tomorrow guide to evaluate the gender-sensitivity of the game

22. Let’s play more games! Jessica’s Joyride Medmyst Animal Alert
LEFT:
Jessica’s Joyride
Medmyst Animal Alert
Time Zone X: Ada Lovelace
CENTER:
After the Storm
Win the White House
Do I Have a Right?
RIGHT:
Monster SchoolBus
Executive Command
Time Zone X: Women’s Suffrage
Let’s play more games!

23. Creating opportunities for new learning opportunities for girls
JULIE - 10 minutes
(use visuals in case of language obstacles)

24. Afternoon Quiz Time!
FINAL

25. Here are your choices – please make one selection per row
Who is most interested in learning how to code?
Here are your choices – please make one selection per row
Your answers!
Students in
K-2
Students in Gr 3-5
Students in Gr 6-8
Students in Gr 9-12
Students from urban
communities
Students from
rural communities
Students from suburban communities
Students who say their tech skill level is advanced
Students who say their tech skill level is average
Students who say their tech skill level is beginner
Boys
Girls
Source: Speak Up 2015 National Results from 415,686 K-12 students

26. Who is most interested in learning how to code?
Here are your choices – please make one selection per row
Your answers!
Students in
K-2
Students in Gr 3-5
Students in Gr 6-8
Students in Gr 9-12
Students in K-2
Students from urban
communities
Students from
rural communities
Students from suburban communities
No difference by community
Students who say their tech skill level is advanced
Students who say their tech skill level is average
Students who say their tech skill level is beginner
Students with advanced tech skills
Boys
Girls
Source: Speak Up 2015 National Results from 415,686 K-12 students

27. Let’s code! Find a partner and play together
Think about gender sensitivity issues
Think about how you would use this activity in your class

28. Connections to new ISTE Standards for Students

29. A featured collection from BrainPOP

30. Play Like a Girl – A Look at Games and Coding
Extended Learning Resources

31. Play Like a Girl: A Look at Games and Coding
Our exploration today:
Gain a new understanding about using games and coding activities to engage girls in STEM learning
Play games! Experience game play using a wide variety of game types and formats
Learn how to evaluate gender sensitivity in games and other forms of digital content
Share the experience with others in the workshop

32. Your thoughts, ideas, questions
FINAL

33. Thank you for joining this discussion today!
Dr. Kari Stubbs
BrainPOP
@karistubbs
Dr. Julie Evans
Project Tomorrow
@JulieEvans_PT