Women's Action Alliance
2 total works
Computer Equity in Math and Science, the second of the three National Science Foundation-funded computer equity publications, is a workshop guide for mathematics and science educators at all grade levels after they have had the first workshop, What Is Computer Equity? Other educators may find the workshop activities relevant to their concerns as well. Research has shown that many girls do not continue with mathematics and science past the required courses in high school. As a result, only 29 percent of mathematicians are women, and only 23 percent of natural scientists are women. As the fields of mathematics and science become increasingly dependent on computers, girls' computer avoidance can only make these figures more unbalanced than they already are. For use by a trainer or staff developer, the workshop guide includes these activities: learning about the underrepresentation of girls and women in mathematics and science study and careers, hands-on activities to identify sex- biased software and to learn how to use even sex-neutral software equitably, and activities to ensure that teachers, parents, and peers support girls' computer involvement. Templates and resource sections are included. This workshop requires two and three-quarters hours to complete.
In schools and homes across America, girls are declining computer opportunities available to them, in the misguided belief that computers are primarily "toys for boys." Computer clubs, computer contests, and advanced computer elective courses tend to be overwhelmingly male. The educational, and eventually occupational, consequences of computer avoidance will be harmful to girls' futures and thus to the nation's well-being. What is Computer Equity? is the first of three publications developed with funding from the National Science Foundation to address computer equity for girls. It is a complete in-service workshop guide to be used by a trainer or staff developer with faculty in all curriculum areas from elementary through high school. This nationally field-tested two and a half-hour guide for workshops introduces educators to the "computer gender gap." In a varied series of actvities, they learn where the computer gender gap can be seen, why it matters, what causes it, and how to overcome it. The guide contains templates for overhead transparencies and handouts and several resource sections.