Volume 1
Issue 1
16 March 1998
Gender
Inequalities in Education
The
Gender Gap in the Computing Field
Whitmore
High School: A Case Study of Computer Usage
Computer
Projects for Mother and Daughter
Expanding
Your Horizons in Math and Science
Computers
and Technology: Differences In Gender
Gender
Bias In Educational Software
Educational
Software For Girls
- Purple Moon: Thanks but No Thanks for Rockett's New School
- Girl Tech - Not Girl Friendly Enough
- Her Interactive
- Broderbund: Classroom Software Done Right
Computers
In the Classroom: What is the Effect on the Gender
Gap?
Dennis D. Gooler in "The Education Utility: The Power to Revitalize Education and Society" raises four gender questions in regard to introducing computers into the classroom. He claims these questions must be seriously addressed before putting technology into the classroom. The following is a one by one breakdown of his four main points.
1. What is the extent of the gender discrepancy?
Many people's intuitions about the way girls and boys interact with computers are fairly close to accurate. Several studies show a differential in both the use of and attitude towards computers between boys and girls. Boys continue to be fascinated by computers and dive right into the computer world without much encouragement. Girls, on the other hand, begin hesitant, fearful of the machines and often need guided encouragement in order to be successfully introduced to computers. In a study done which looked at how many computer science courses 200 gifted students enrolled in, 90% of the boys chose to take a computer course while only 10% of the girls did so. Since this particular study examined the class choices of gifted students it is fair to assume that lack of ability was most likely not a determining factor when deciding which class to enroll in. It all boils down to the fact that society encourages boys to be more interested in computers resulting in more self confidence then girls about their ability to work with computers.
2. Why is the gender discrepancy important?
Despite the reasoning behind these gender differences in approaching computing, girls may be placed at a significant disadvantage in a society in which we value computer technology as if our existence depended upon it. Gooler claims, "It seems clear that females may be eliminating themselves at a very early age from career choices by these negative attitudes. Because computers are being used so pervasively across all of business, industry, and the service sectors of our economy, females may be penalized in their career options because of these predispositions." Additionally these types of attitudes could have a severe impact on the self-esteem of girls on a whole. When half of the human race feels inferior about a technology that is inundating our every day lives problems are going to occur.
3. What causes the gender discrepancy?
When taking a close look at society's perspective on the new technology, it is no surprise women and girls feel the way they do about the technology. "Evidence of the association of computers with males is found in a number of areas, including advertising for computers, computers software and role models such as teachers," explains Gooler. Girls are being told by all aspects of the media that computers were designed for, marketed for and exist solely for boys. Existing software confirms this attitude. It is tailored towards what boys like and often are made only with boys in mind. The Director of Educational marketing for Apple Computer, Gregory Smith, was quoted as saying, "The buyers of Apple computers are 98 percent male. We do not feel that women represent any great untapped audience." As the Director of Educational marketing, Smith has indirectly asserted that males are not only more important than women in the computer world but that this hierarchy also rolls over to the education world. Few educators are willing to be as open about their thoughts on gender differences in education but it is often by school actions that many feel the same way as Smith. This is evident in the fact that often times computer classes are in the math department, have math prerequisites or are seen as math classes themselves. Women, who are already disadvantaged in math classes, often predict that computer science classes are the same way and as a result shy away from them. Very little is done in these situations to encourage girls to give computer science a try. Instead the boys fill up the classes, and the gender stereotypes are perpetuated.
4. What can be done to counteract the gender discrepancy?
Gooler claims there are twelve circumstances which impede computer access and use. He claims they are as follows:
- Lack of encouragement for females to use computers
- Potential value of computer learning more apparent to males than to females.
- Bias against females and minority students in software and advertising.
- Prerequisites irrelevant for computer access and instruction
- Limited computer access for females during free time
- Under-representation of females in computer leadership roles
- Dominance by one student over another during computer time
- Pressure from peers not to participate in computer activities
- Under-representation of females and minority students in computer clubs
- Inappropriate location of computers within schools
- Inability of teachers and students to recognize and deal with problems in computer learning
- Shortage of qualified personnel for computer teaching
Ideally, if we could overcome or reverse the results of these obstacles we might even out the playing field. But many of these circumstances are the result of notions which are ingrained into us at an early age.
