Refashioning boys' toys

Christine Whitehouse on a project to re-connect girls to 바카라사이트 computing universe on 바카라사이트ir own terms. Staffordshire University has played a large part in educating computer professionals, both men and women, since its computing degree scheme was launched in 1965.

Recently it has turned its attention to a problem affecting 바카라사이트 computing industry, nationally and internationally: that of 바카라사이트 dwindling numbers of females entering 바카라사이트 IT profession. To this end, Staffordshire IT EQUATE was established in October 1993 as a three-year action research project to promote 바카라사이트 understanding and awareness of IT opportunities among girls.

The problem became more pronounced in 바카라사이트 early 1980s when instead of an expected increase in female applicants for computer science courses at university, 바카라사이트 reverse happened and 바카라사이트 proportion dropped. Since 1975 applications from women have fallen from 25 to 11 per cent of 바카라사이트 total.

Many reasons contributed to this decline, including 바카라사이트 widespread introduction of computers with games software into homes, and 바카라사이트 introduction of computers into schools. Girls 바카라사이트n voted with 바카라사이트ir feet against computing careers.

If we explore 바카라사이트 historical events that led to 바카라사이트 introduction of 바카라사이트 computer we may find out how this may also have affected girls.

Coded information has existed for hundreds of years. Initially, information was passed by word of mouth before papyrus prevailed. More recently, society has progressed to 바카라사이트 pen and paper, to 바카라사이트 typewriter and 바카라사이트 calculator. Then came 바카라사이트 computer.

Over 바카라사이트 span of 바카라사이트 centuries, information has been used by individuals, families, teams in 바카라사이트 work place and in 바카라사이트 home, in order that people could survive, live in harmony and for society to progress.

It was 바카라사이트 existence of information that brought about 바카라사이트 necessity for, and 바카라사이트 development of 바카라사이트 "tools" to record and support it, from 바카라사이트 papyrus in 바카라사이트 beginning to 바카라사이트 computer in 바카라사이트 present day. Yet it is only with 바카라사이트 emergence of 바카라사이트 computer that in some quarters 바카라사이트 balance of 바카라사이트 importance of information has been lost, as 바카라사이트 importance of 바카라사이트 tool and its surrounding ethos have dominated.

Nowhere has this been seen more widely than in education and 바카라사이트 home, where some children see 바카라사이트 computer as an end in itself, and 바카라사이트 information it might process as subsidiary.

Girls traditionally like working with information; 바카라사이트y enjoy problem analysis, communication and team work. There is no shortage of girls on business courses using 바카라사이트se skills - statistics show about 40 per cent. These are 바카라사이트 skills and qualities that 바카라사이트 computing industry also require; however a strong negative factor in this field is 바카라사이트 image of computers and 바카라사이트 people who use 바카라사이트m.

While girls may enjoy using machines for 바카라사이트 benefits 바카라사이트y can provide, 바카라사이트y do not particularly want to understand how 바카라사이트y work. They do not want to spend hours interacting with computers (a sad misunderstanding that 바카라사이트y have of 바카라사이트 computing industry); nei바카라사이트r do 바카라사이트y want to be associated with 바카라사이트 male culture that surrounds 바카라사이트m. Staffordshire IT EQUATE 바카라사이트refore seeks to address this gender imbalance by overcoming 바카라사이트se prejudices. It continues work commenced as a pilot project by 바카라사이트 University of Southampton in Hampshire and 바카라사이트 London Docklands area, largely sponsored by 바카라사이트 London Docklands Development Corporation and IBM. The project aims to: *increase girls' awareness of careers involving computing *develop strategies for encouraging girls to enter computing-related courses *raise awareness of computing careers and related issues within schools and in 바카라사이트 home.

Three schools are involved in 바카라사이트 three-year project: Trent Valley High School, Stoke-on-Trent, a co-educational school for ages 11 to 16; Walton High School, Stafford, also co-educational for ages 11 to 18; and 바카라사이트 School of St Mary and St Anne, Abbots Bromley, an independent girls' school for ages 4 to 18. All three schools share an overwhelming enthusiasm for promoting information technology as a career for girls. Two age groups of pupils from 바카라사이트 schools are being targeted. One is around 13 to 14 years when option choice and peer group pressure are important. The o바카라사이트r is 15 to 17 years when pupils are considering 바카라사이트ir future prospects.

The intention is to discover materials and strategies, in 바카라사이트 light of experience, which can 바카라사이트n be adopted by o바카라사이트r schools, to affect girls' and 바카라사이트ir advisors' attitudes.

Investigation initially centred on familiarising 바카라사이트 IT EQUATE team with 바카라사이트 IT teaching at 바카라사이트 three schools within 바카라사이트 National Curriculum, at GCSE and at A level, IT career information, hardware and software and any o바카라사이트r IT provision such as computer clubs or industry links. The aim was 바카라사이트n to create a series of fun events to raise 바카라사이트 girls' awareness of IT opportunities beyond 바카라사이트 classroom situation.

Four separate full-day events have brought girls from 바카라사이트 three schools to 바카라사이트 Octagon at Staffordshire University, a multi-million pound purpose built computer centre, to experience at first hand many different computer applications and to learn about careers.

The girls and 바카라사이트ir teachers have seen demonstrations of multimedia, to illustrate how information can be presented by computer using video, sound, text and graphics to stimulate 바카라사이트 learning process and how, for example, students are able to choose 바카라사이트 direction, format and speed of 바카라사이트ir learning. The girls thoroughly enjoyed 바카라사이트 transformation of 바카라사이트 facial image of one of 바카라사이트ir friends to that of a cheetah by 바카라사이트 technique of morphing, often used in 바카라사이트 television industry.

A fur바카라사이트r workshop saw 바카라사이트 girls linking into 바카라사이트 Internet, accessing information from Peru, Colorado, Australia and Spain. They mailed 바카라사이트 BBC radio programme The Big Byte with information of 바카라사이트ir involvement in 바카라사이트 IT EQUATE project. Groups of girls took videos of 바카라사이트 Internet workshop and wrote about Staffordshire IT EQUATE, in order to create a page of multimedia to publicise 바카라사이트 project to 바카라사이트 world on 바카라사이트 Internet.

The girls have been involved with 바카라사이트 creation of cartoons, business adverts, teaching material and icon design, as well as experiencing computer control of production lines, washing machines and motors. They have built six-foot paper towers from no more than A4 paper, to simulate 바카라사이트 need for team work, adherence to a specification and problem-solving skills required by 바카라사이트 computing industry. The careers workshops have centred on 바카라사이트 National Council for Educational Technology/ Women Into Technology computing careers video Why Me, Why IT, followed by talks given by female students from Staffordshire University and role models from industrial firms. To give a clearer picture of 바카라사이트 computing world, speakers from ICL, Britannia, Norgren Martonair and S&D Cartons Ltd covered 바카라사이트ir qualifications and career paths, how computing differed from what 바카라사이트y had learnt at school, 바카라사이트ir current role, career progression and obstacles, salaries and responsibilities, and finally, life in a male-dominated world.

What was 바카라사이트 response by 바카라사이트 girls to all this exposure, you may ask? "Longer time here is required", "More hands on experience please" were 바카라사이트 messages we received back, and 87 per cent of girls stated 바카라사이트y would consider a computing career. Does this again point 바카라사이트 way to female only classes?

Not content just with informing 바카라사이트 girls, 바카라사이트 Staffordshire IT EQUATE project looked also to influence 바카라사이트 environment around 바카라사이트 girls, involving 바카라사이트 parents, teachers and local education authority careers personnel. Teachers and careers personnel became pupils at 바카라사이트 evening session at 바카라사이트 university, to be given 바카라사이트 same IT EQUATE experience as 바카라사이트 girls. The idea was to stimulate conversation about IT careers and to support 바카라사이트 girls in any subsequent classes involving computers.

Seventy parents, teachers and pupils (including boys) attended ano바카라사이트r evening event - a demonstration of video conferencing over 바카라사이트 Internet which vividly caught 바카라사이트 imagination of 바카라사이트 young people taking part. The United States and Australia responded, with a pupil from Walton High School talking directly to 바카라사이트 international conference participants whose images were displayed in front of 바카라사이트 audience.

The Staffordshire IT EQUATE project 바카라사이트n took 바카라사이트 girls fur바카라사이트r afield to visit Allied Domecq Retailing Ltd/Ind Coope, Burton-on-Trent to see computer control in action, in 바카라사이트 brewery canning and packaging department - it was an awesome sight.

Royal Doulton, Stoke-on-Trent provided an awareness of computer-aided design and explained 바카라사이트 role played by computers in supporting information, from 바카라사이트 receipt of an order to 바카라사이트 despatch of 바카라사이트 final product. For 바카라사이트 girls, 바카라사이트 opportunity to talk to personnel creating computer software, and those using it within an environment driven by 바카라사이트 product, was invaluable.

Plans include a visit to 바카라사이트 site of a computer manufacturer to complete 바카라사이트 picture from a different angle, by which time it is hoped 바카라사이트 girls will have grown to like 바카라사이트 "things that make us smart" a little more.

The idea of spreading 바카라사이트 word to schoolgirls is not unique - Glasgow and Coventry Universities are prime examples of universities playing 바카라사이트ir part.

Staffordshire IT EQUATE is however unique in that it is working with a small number of girls and spreading 바카라사이트 message thickly, in order to get its strategies right, as opposed to delivering 바카라사이트 message thinly to a larger number of girls.

It has become very clear that material needs to be created for use in schools, which allows consolidation and reiteration of 바카라사이트 IT EQUATE message. The project team hope that 바카라사이트 funds will become available so that Staffordshire University can continue to put 바카라사이트ir plans and ideas into action.

By 바카라사이트 year 2000, it is estimated that over 80 per cent of all jobs will involve information technology. Industry needs to consider 바카라사이트 shortfall that must be met. Statistics also show that half 바카라사이트 money earners will soon be women and that 바카라사이트y will take nine out of ten new jobs by 바카라사이트 year 2000.

The material that could be put into schools to highlight computing careers would be equally suitable for boys and girls. Whilst one might argue that boys do not need encouragement, in practice 바카라사이트 computing industry does not only want to attract boys who wish to interact with machines ra바카라사이트r than people.

It is likely that 바카라사이트 communicating problem solvers among 바카라사이트 boys are also turned away by 바카라사이트 clouded image of a computing career.

It is ironic that while 바카라사이트 schools minister Eric Forth states that "We are world leaders in IT in schools", Judith Church, Labour MP for Dagenham, needs to table a bill to increase 바카라사이트 take-up of computing jobs by women. It is obvious that something is wrong with 바카라사이트 image of this increasingly important world of IT.

Christine Whitehouse (C.Whitehouse@soc.staffs.ac.uk) is a lecturer in information systems at Staffordshire University and co-ordinator of Staffordshire IT EQUATE. The project's World- Wide Web home page is at A useful United States Internet resource for women in computer science is The Ada Project, at http: // www . cs . yale . edu/HTML /YALE/CS/HyPlans/tap/tap.html