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tech-savvy educating educating in the new in the new girls computer age age aauweduc at ionalfound at i o n commission on technology gender and teacher education

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tech-savvy educating girls in the new computer age by the aauw educational foundation commission on technology gender and teacher education this report was made possible in part by the generous contribution of margaret strauss kramer special thanks to the northern palm beach branch of aauw.

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published by the american association of university women educational foundation 1111 sixteenth street n.w washington dc 20036 202/728-7602 fax 202/872-1425 tdd 202/785-7777 foundation@aauw.org www.aauw.org copyright 2000 american association of university women educational foundation all rights reserved printed in the united states first printing april 2000 cover design by sabrina meyers layout by vann dailly library of congress card number 00-100922 isbn 1879922231 cover photos the concord consortium jeff leaf judy rolfe

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table of contents foreword v executive summary vii introduction from the commission dual visions 1 chapter 1 we can but i don t want to girls perspectives on the computer culture 5 chapter 2 in the school teacher perspectives and classroom dynamics 11 chapter 3 educational software and games rethinking the girls game 27 chapter 4 the computer science classroom call it oceanography and they will come 39 chapter 5 the school in context home community and work 49 appendix biographies of commissioners researchers and staff 63 endnotes 69 selected bibliography 79 foundation board 84 aauw equity library 85 order form 86 iii

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foreword as the third millennium dawns we know that computer technology has profoundly changed what we learn how we learn it and how we apply that learning in the workplace and throughout our lives it is far less certain that all of us or even most of us are equipped to take full advantage of this technology clear evidence that girls and women lag in interest and participation prompted the formation in 1998 of the aauw educational foundation commission on technology gender and teacher education tech-savvy educating girls in the new computer age represents the findings of this commission how do we educate girls to become tech-savvy women the question facing the commission at its outset was an important one and one to which this report devotes considerable attention but by the end of the commissioners year of collaborative study they found themselves asking an equally compelling question what changes are needed in the computer culture to improve its image repair its deficits and make it more appealing to girls and women these changes commissioners increasingly understood may also make technology more inviting to other underrepresented users groups such as hispanics african americans low-income students and students who do not identify with the male hacker/computer geek stereotype of the proficient technology user this report explores how to make the defining technology of this century more accessible appealing and inviting to a variety of users and learners for women and girls making the computer culture more reflective of their interests and values depends on their ability to influence the popular discourse about cyberculture and education many valid criticisms of computer culture by teachers and female students serve as useful counterbalances to the rampant technophilia of our age goals for example need to be re-examined is simply getting more girls into computer science classes an adequate measure of success not for the commissioners clearly they have much broader much longer-term results in mind for them success is a commitment to lifelong technology learning with all that that implies an ability to adapt to rapid changes interpret critically the wealth of electronic information experiment without fear and assume a variety of roles beyond that of end user or consumer in the classroom commissioners want to see technology infused across the curriculum to support better learning for all students in a variety of subject areas this philosophy is especially crucial for equity questions girls and other nontraditional users of computer science who are not enamored of technology for technology s sake may be far more interested in using the technology if they encounter it in the context of a discipline that interests them tech-savvy is a timely contribution to make the information age serve all of our society sharon schuster president aauw educational foundation april 2000

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executive summary

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executive summary in contemporary culture the computer is no longer an isolated machine it is a centerpiece of science the arts media industry commerce and civic life information technology is transforming every field and few citizens are unaffected by it the commission has chosen to use the terms computers and computer technology to refer to this larger e-culture of information and simulation and has focused its inquiries discussion and recommendations on computers and education the question is no longer whether computers will be in the classroom but how computers can be used to enhance teaching and learning ideally in ways that promote the full involvement by girls and other groups currently underrepresented in many computer-related endeavors the commission s themes and recommendations while focused on girls in schools would if addressed improve the quality of the computer culture for all students the commission sees it differently in some important ways the computer culture would do well to catch up with the girls in other words girls are pointing to important deficits in the technology and the culture in which it is embedded that need to be integrated into our general thinking about computers and education indeed girls critiques resonate with the concerns of a much larger population of reticent users the commission believes that girls legitimate concerns should focus our attention on changing the software the way computer science is taught and the goals we have for using computer technology 2 teachers in grades k-12 have concerns and with good reason teachers three-fourths of whom are women critique the quality of educational software the disconnect between the worlds of the curriculum classroom needs and school district expectations and the dearth of adequate professional development and timely technical assistance even those teachers technologically savvy enough to respond to the commission s online survey had incisive criticisms of the ways that computer technology has come into the classroom and of the ways that they are instructed and encouraged to use it often teachers concerns are met with teacher bashing teachers are not measuring up to the new technology is our frequent response again the commission sees it differently rather than presume teachers inadequacies the commission believes that teachers need opportunities to design instruction that takes advantage of technology across all disciplines computing ought to be infused into the curriculum and subject areas that teachers care about in ways that promote critical thinking and lifelong learning key themes 1 girls have reservations about the computer culture and with good reason in its inquiries into gender issues in computers and education the commission found that girls are concerned about the passivity of their interactions with the computer as a tool they reject the violence redundancy and tedium of computer games and they dislike narrowly and technically focused programming classes too often these concerns are dismissed as symptoms of anxiety or incompetence that will diminish once girls catch up with the technology e xecutive s ummary ix

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3 statistics on girls participation in the culture of computing are of increasing concern from the point of view of education economics and culture girls are not well-represented in computer laboratories and clubs and have taken dramatically fewer programming and computer science courses at the high school and postsecondary level therefore girls and women have been labeled as computer-phobic the commission sees it differently it interprets such behavior not as phobia but as a choice that invites a critique of the computing culture we need a more inclusive computer culture that embraces multiple interests and backgrounds and that reflects the current ubiquity of technology in all aspects of life as this report describes girls assert a we can but i don t want to attitude toward computer technology they insist on their abilities and skills in this area even as they vividly describe their disenchantment with the field its careers and social contexts although some of this attitude may be defensive it is important to take a hard look at what these girls are feeling defensive about 4 girls current ways of participating in the computer culture are a cause for concern a common alternative to computer science courses and a common point of entry for girls into the computer world has been courses on computer tools such as databases page layout programs graphics online publishing and other productivity software the commission believes that while mastery of these tools may be useful it is not the same thing as true technological literacy to be technologically literate requires a set of critical skills concepts and problemsolving abilities that permit full citizenship in contemporary e-culture girls grasp of specific computer tools use of the internet and e-mail and competency with productivity software such as powerpoint or page layout programs may have satisfied an older standard of computer literacy and equity the new definition of computer literacy and equity described in this report is a broader one see what is fluency with information technology on page xi the new standard of fluency assumes an ability to use abstract reasoning to apply information technology in sophisticated innovative ways to solve problems across disciplines and subject areas to interpret vast amounts of information with analytic skill to understand basic principles of programming and other computer science fundamentals and to continually adapt and learn new technologies as they emerge in the future it is our job as a society to ensure that girls are just as competent as their male peers in meeting these standards when they began their deliberations commissioners explored various ways of defining what it would mean to achieve gender equity in the computer culture some commissioners emphasized concrete suggestions to get more girls into the pipeline to computer-related careers and to participate in these disciplines as they are presently constituted other commissioners emphasized ways that the computer culture itself could be positively transformed through the integration of girls and women s insights concentrating on the web of cultural associations that women s greater participation might create the commission does not view the two perspectives as dichotomous or competing they are mutually reinforcing one of the values in getting more girls and women in the computer pipeline is that their greater presence may transform the computer culture overall by the same token changes in the e-culture itself the ways technology is discussed valued and applied would invite more girls and women to participate fully in that culture x t ech -s avvy e ducating g irls in the n ew c omputer a ge

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what is fluency with information technology what everyone should know about technology cannot be a static list of prescriptions to use word processing programs or e-mail instead fluency goals must allow for change enable adaptability connect to personal goals and promote lifelong learning like language fluency information technology fluency should be tailored to individual careers and activities as described by a national research council report fluency with information technology requires the acquisition of three kinds of interdependent knowledge that must be taught in concert skills concepts and capabilities skills are necessary for job preparedness productivity and other aspects of fluency they include such things as using the internet to find information or setting up a personal computer skills change as technology advances using the internet became essential in the past five years and designing a home page will be essential soon concepts explain how and why information technology works capabilities essential for problem solving include managing complex systems as well as testing solutions fluency is best acquired when students do coherent ongoing projects to achieve specific goals in subjects that are relevant and interesting to them a project for biology students might be design an information system to track hiv testing and notification communicate the design to potential participants and convince users that privacy will be maintained in this example students would need content knowledge about hiv testing and about notification practices they would use fluency skills such as organizing a database and communicating with others and fluency concepts such as algorithmic thinking and an understanding of personal privacy concerns to complete the project students would use fluency capabilities such as sustained reasoning testing solutions and communicating about information technology a project for german language learners might be critique a program that translates directions for using a cellular phone by researching alternative cellular phone interfaces devise tests of the program evaluate the translation with potential users and design a presentation to communicate recommendations to program designers students would need content knowledge of contemporary german language such as referring to a cellular phone as a handy as well as appreciation of the diverse cellular phone interfaces students would need fluency skills such as using the internet to find information and using a graphic or artwork package to create illustrations they would use fluency concepts such as algorithmic thinking and awareness of the social impact of information technology to complete the project they would use fluency capabilities such as testing solutions managing complex systems and thinking about information technology abstractly the term fluency and its description are adapted from the national research council computer science and telecommunications board being fluent with information technology washington dc national academy press 1999 e xecutive s ummary xi

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the commission has reviewed existing research considered research that the aauw educational foundation commissioned on the topic talked with researchers and listened to girls and teachers observations about computing the commissioners urge immediate action on the following recommendations to ensure social equity as well as a more thoughtful integration of technology in education and our lives ing some through art for example some through design some through mathematics these multiple entry points need to be respected and encouraged while we remain sensitive to activities and perspectives that are appealing to girls and young women change the public face of computing make the public face of women in computing correspond to the reality rather than the stereotype girls tend to imagine that computer professionals live in a solitary antisocial and sedentary world this is an alienating and incorrect perception of careers that will rely heavily on computer technology and expertise in this century prepare tech-savvy teachers schools of education have a special responsibility they need to develop teachers who are able to design curricula that incorporate technology in a way that is inclusive of all students schools of education also must be able to assess success for students and teachers in a tech-rich classroom the focus for professional development needs to shift from mastery of the hardware to the design of classroom materials curricula and teaching styles that complement computer technology begin a discussion on equity for educational stakeholders a more equitable and inclusive computer culture depends on consciousness-raising within schools about issues of gender race and class school districts should put in place institutional mechanisms that will facilitate such conversations in partnership with parents community leaders and representatives from the computer and software industry educate students about technology and the future of work schools have a message to communicate about the future of work all jobs including those in the arts medicine law design literature and the helping professions will involve more and more computing conversely technological careers will increas key recommendations compute across the curriculum computers can no longer be treated as a set aside lab-based activity computation should be integrated across the curriculum into such subject areas and disciplines as art music and literature as well as engineering and science this integration supports better learning for all while it invites more girls into technology through a range of subjects that already interest them redefine computer literacy computer literacy needs to be redefined to include the lifelong application of relevant concepts skills and problem-solving abilities what does this mean students must be trained to be literate citizens in a culture increasingly dependent on computers students especially females who predominate in clerical and service occupations must be educated to move beyond word processing and presentation software to solve real-life problems with technology while a tally of girls in computer science classes is a convenient benchmark empowering girls and other nontraditional users to mine computer technology for sophisticated innovative uses requires a mastery of these literacies and abilities not quickly outdated programming skills alone see what is fluency with information technology on page xi respect multiple points of entry different children will encounter different entry points into comput xii t ech -s avvy e ducating g irls in the n ew c omputer a ge

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ingly draw on the humanities social science and people skills it is especially important that girls not bound immediately for college understand career options in computer and network support and the impact of new technologies on more traditional fields rethink educational software and computer games educational software and games have too often shown significant gender bias girls need to recognize themselves in the culture of computing software should speak to their interests and girls should be treated as early as possible as designers rather than mere end users of software and games support efforts that give girls and women a boost into the pipeline create and support computing clubs and summer school classes for girls mentoring programs science fairs and programs that encourage girls to see themselves as capable of careers in technology e xecutive s ummary xiii

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introduction dual visions

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introduction from the commission dual visions in 1998 the aauw educational foundation announced a 10-year research agenda that includes a focus on girls and young women s educational preparation for an increasingly technological information-driven economy the aauw educational foundation s report gender gaps had found cause for serious concern in the area of information technology gender gaps reported alarming disparities in girls and boys enrollments in advanced computing courses girls were less likely to take highlevel computing classes in high school and comprised just 17 percent of those taking advanced placement computer science exams girls outnumbered boys only in their enrollment in word processing classes arguably the 1990s version of typing in 1995 at the postsecondary level women received one in four of the computer/information science bachelor s degrees and only 11 percent of the doctorates in engineering-related technologies these educational gaps reverberate in the workplace where by most estimates women today occupy only 20 percent of the jobs in information technology.1 the aauw educational foundation convened the commission on technology gender and teacher education to make recommendations for research practice and policy that might address these gaps the commission discussed the broad area of technology and gender equity and decided that it could make the most impact by focusing this report specifically on information technology the commission which met four times from november 1998 to january 2000 focused on educational experiences in k-12 public schools the commission was co-chaired by professor sherry turkle of mit and patricia diaz dennis of sbc communications and included participants from academia education business and journalism this report expresses the collective opinions and experiences of the commission as well as findings from literature reviews and original research commissioned by the aauw educational foundation in particular this report shares the voices of the girls who were interviewed in a qualitative study of 70 middle school and high school girls on the east coast and of the nearly 900 teachers nationwide who responded to an online survey commissioned by the foundation.2 when they began their deliberations commissioners explored various ways of defining what it would mean to achieve gender equity in the computer culture some commissioners focused on concrete suggestions to get more girls into the pipeline to computer-related careers and to participate in these disciplines and pursuits as they are presently constituted.3 other commissioners emphasized ways that the computer culture itself could be positively transformed through the integration of girls and women s insights the commission does not view the two perspectives as dichotomous or competing they are mutually reinforcing one of the values in getting more girls and women interested in the computer pipeline is that their greater presence may transform the computer culture overall by the same token changes in the e-culture itself the ways technology is discussed valued and applied would invite more girls and women to participate fully in that culture both perspectives agree on the importance of making sure that girls and women are integrated into the computer culture throughout the range of occupations i ntroduction from the commission 3

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and economic and social levels whether they work as professionals or not computer fluency will benefit historians architects lawyers and designers as well as homemakers and blue-collar workers both perspectives share the goal of increasing literacy and technological fluency for girls and women not simply as consumers or end users of technology but as designers leaders and shapers of the computer culture ultimately the commission endorsed a dual vision of gender equity in the following senses first it is desirable for more women to go into computer science and related technical disciplines and to take the courses that would prepare them to do so it is also desirable for more women to feel comfortable in the culture of computing no matter what their eventual occupational social or family roles may be the commission s criteria for technological fluency are demanding but we believe they are realistic in our view fluency requires the ability to use technology proactively understand design issues and be able to interpret the information that technology makes available it requires knowledge of how to choose software that serves one s needs as well as the ability to evaluate materials on the world wide web perhaps most important given the pace of technological change fluency means becoming a lifelong learner of technology second the commission believes that in crucial ways what is good for girls would be good for all us the commission believes that girls experiences with computers in education speak to problems faced by a wider range of learners girls and boys men and women as they encounter information technology the commission began with a directive to explore girls underrepresentation in many areas of e-culture consider avenues for further research and suggest both short and long-term recommendations that might improve the situation this report contains recommendations that speak to this directive but in the course of its deliberations the commission came to recommendations that it believes would not only broaden girls encounters with technology but would stimulate a more inclusive computer culture for all students teachers and girls have concerns about the trajectory of the e-culture that need to be taken seriously and they point to ways that computer technology could be more effectively and equitably taught to all students third we need to take account of both the complexity of the problem and the necessity and possibility for action and change the issues demand humility subtle and numerous factors draw boys and girls and men and women toward different interests and career choices not surprisingly boys and girls are drawn to different kinds of involvement with technology even the best recommendations and attendant policy decisions will face complex social and psychological obstacles additionally because of the pace of change in this field any unduly specific recommendations will become dated and yet we are also optimistic we believe that there are significant ways in which academic educational media and business leaders can act collaboratively to make timely and effective change the aauw educational foundation commission on technology gender and teacher education 4 t ech -s avvy e ducating g irls in the n ew c omputer a ge

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chapter 1 we can but i don t want to girls perspectives on the computer culture

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