Building an authentic community of #edtech developers and educators to help create better #edtech. Join our #edtechbridge chat monthly on the 2nd Wednesday at 8:00 p.m. ET!
Welcome to #EdTechBridge. Please take a moment to introduce yourself - name, role, and location. Share a good movie, book, or game you recently saw, read or played :)
Welcome to #EdTechBridge ! I'm Jenny joining from Apex, North Carolina - I'm a former middle school teacher currently working at @_ProjectEd supporting edtech companies & nonprofits. Excited to focus on women in STEM tonight! #edtechequals
My name is Brittany Bilek, I am a student at Chapman University in Orange, CA studying Health Sciences with a minor in education. I recently played Disney Monopoly which is a fun themed game. #edtechbridge
Welcome to #EdTechBridge ! I'm Jenny joining from NC - I'm a former middle school teacher currently working at @_ProjectEd supporting edtech companies & nonprofits. Loved the movie @onthebasisofsex - seems fitting! Excited to focus on women in STEM tonight! #edtechequals
Welcome to #edtechbridge - Steve from NJ. I teach game design and development to middle schoolers and next year bringing the course up to @ridge_high as well! Finally saw Bohemian Rhapsody - loved it - in fact watching it for a second time right now :)
A1: I'm amazed by @kfinnefrock -she's been innovating in edtech for 20+ years (since the PalmPilot was a radical idea)& has lived through generations of ed products-she's a master of product design, the complexity of the ed market & risk mitigation
#edtechbridge#edtechequals
A1: I'm amazed by @kfinnefrock -she's been innovating in edtech for 20+ years (since the PalmPilot was a radical idea)& has lived through generations of ed products-she's a master of product design, the complexity of the ed market & risk mitigation
#edtechbridge#edtechequals
A1: I would be remiss if I didn't mention my lovely and kick awesome wife @iwearthecrowns - to say she's a strong woman in #edtech is a bit of an understatement #edtechbridge
A2: I think exposing females early to the options of tech and stem in the years of elementary school will allow them to see it as an option that they would want to go into. #edtechbridge
A2: I think we need to provide opportunities for all students to explore #tech and #stem in order to build confidence and allow female students to come to an informed decision as to whether or not they are interested - we also need to remove cultural bias #edtechbridge
A2: Ensure women feel welcome in those classes! In HS, I was super interested in AutoCAD, but the class was all boys &taught by a popular male teacher-they teased I only wanted to be there to flirt. Sorry to say I dropped the class & never learned it #edtechbridge#edtechequals
A2 Creating different opportunities for Ss to explore on their own, add components of STEM focus in all classes, encourage students to investigate some, decide if they are interested and then next steps #EdTechBridge
A2. Have a coding camp for girls, being a role model for younger females. #edtechbridge. Speak up about creating opportunities for females to be apart of the conversation.
A2 Provide role models and examples - skype, guest speakers, etc. This affects all parties. Both men and women benefit from seeing a mix of people in positions of authority and expertise. #EdTechBridge
#edtechbridge A1: @Rdene915 is a Rock Star because she freely shares information, tips, resources, suggestions, and more. (She was the one who sent me a tweet to join tonight! Thanks, Rachelle!
A1: So many amazing women I’d like to shout out! Let’s start with @korytellers who is not only an awesome #edtech rockstar but also one of the most inspirational people I know! 😎❤️❤️👏 #edtechbridge
A2: We need to provide low stakes opportunities for all to get involved - testing the waters allows people to find interests where they may have otherwise thought it 'wasn't for them' #edtechbridge
A2: I actually blogged about this! Let me find it! Don’t pretend girls can’t do things. Encourage them. Don’t allow the boys to come and overpower the girls or take over jobs. #edtechbridge
YES! Female role models are wonderful. As a male in the field I would like to find female mentors to work with my students. When we do #skypeathon I try to bring in women in #edtech and #gaming to allow girls to see diversity #edtechbridge
A2. Have a coding camp for girls, being a role model for younger females. #edtechbridge. Speak up about creating opportunities for females to be apart of the conversation.
Yes! and I often think the all female grouping provides that opportunity for girls to not be overpowered by the boys. Maybe this could help build confidence in girls without the noise. #edtechbridge
A2: I actually blogged about this! Let me find it! Don’t pretend girls can’t do things. Encourage them. Don’t allow the boys to come and overpower the girls or take over jobs. #edtechbridge
A1: So many amazing women I’d like to shout out! Let’s start with @korytellers who is not only an awesome #edtech rockstar but also one of the most inspirational people I know! 😎❤️❤️👏 #edtechbridge
A2: I agree that we need to provide opportunities for our students to explore! It could be as simple as taking a few minutes at the beginning of each class to talk to students about tech and stem, and talk about women who have pursued these options! #edtechbridge#pstpln
I was suppose to present there but had NJ DOE cmoing to district so had to stay in-district. @peteandc is one of my favorite conferences to attend. Always learn something new and the networking with like-minded educators is AWSEOME! #edtechbridge
I'll be a bit of a devils advocate here and mention that you have to be very careful when you create separation. It allows the men to think wonem can't make it in a general audience, and denies wonem the opportunity to interact with men on an equal footing. #EdTechBridge
Q3: How can / do #edtech companies ensure equity in terms of roles the company for women and outreach to include the voice of women in product development? #edtechbridge
This is a tough one for sure. My game dev classes are mostly boys. I am glad that my 'lunch bunch' has a great group of girls and our game club has more girls than ever. It's tough when girls look around and feel like they don't belong if the class is mostly boys #edtechbridge
A2: Ensure women feel welcome in those classes! In HS, I was super interested in AutoCAD, but the class was all boys &taught by a popular male teacher-they teased I only wanted to be there to flirt. Sorry to say I dropped the class & never learned it #edtechbridge#edtechequals
I have presented on the issue of Females in IT. Over the years, things have changed but I still go to some trainings where I am either the only female or I am 1 among 5 females in a room of 25 males. #edtechbridge
I have seen this first hand on my brother's robotics team and the women and men on the team are seen as equals and experts in each of their fields they are in charge of. #edtechbridge
In reply to
@AlexVKluge, @spaul6414, @EdTechBridge
Welcome! I always here great things about @petandc - one of these years I'll make it! Did you see my buddies @alicekeeler and Patty Duncan? Talk about strong women in #edtech! #edtechbridge
A3: Not only should companies ensure equity, so should investors! Women are the majority leading in classrooms, this % should be matched in admin & industry. Support your women-led companies!
https://t.co/idsCf7Hiau#EdTechBridge#edtechequals
A3: Invite women in the STEM Careers as guest speakers for class, coordinate mentorships for girls and female leaders in TECH companies. Apprenticeships. Make companies aware of the importance that all voices must be heard and represented. #Edtechbridge
I think parents can help by nurturing and encouraging their daughters from a young age. My daughter is a huge gamer and I was on board with it as soon as she began to show interest at a young age #edtechbridge
You are being conscious of this and try to provide this type of opportunities. This is rare. Most males never thing about this. I find most Dads' that have daughters have this perspective. Like you! #edtechbridge
A2: Remove the words "If you feel you're tech savvy..." from our vocabulary. You automatically exclude anyone who doesn't think they know enough tech to join. Many of these are girls. They may have an interest and we can help them learn. That's all they need. #EdTechBridge
How’s this for irony? My girls barely play games. It kills me. I think it’s some form of rebellion. I feel like I’ve failed as a parent!!! #edtechbridge
I think parents can help by nurturing and encouraging their daughters from a young age. My daughter is a huge gamer and I was on board with it as soon as she began to show interest at a young age #edtechbridge
YES! Kory was one of my first friends on the Twitters. She will always have a special place in my heart. Anyone who doesn't know her is seriously missing out. #edtechbridge
A3 Openly embrace diversity - one of the most fundamental aspects of design is that you are not doing it for yourself or for others like you. #EdTechBridge
I have an open door during 8th grade lunch for kids to come in and play or work - they don't have to be in my class so it's become our #lunchbunch - just a casual environment to hang out and be 'around' technology. #edtechbridge
Funny you should say this. My friend's daughter, who is brilliant, was just dropped from her HS robotics team because the male team leader stated in an email to her that he did not believe she could "cut it". She is the only female on the team. #edtechbridge. Had me fuming! 😡😡
In reply to
@bilek_brittany, @AlexVKluge, @EdTechBridge
This is one of the reasons I strongly believe in co-ed elementary programs. If one needs to separate for a small bit, fine, but move towards integration quickly.#EdTechBridge
In reply to
@AlexVKluge, @spaul6414, @EdTechBridge
A3 This needs to start with promoting tech skills, creative creation w/tech, and building a knowledge-base in elementary. Early learning can spark an interest. Right now we aren't lacking interest in the women we have. It's that we don't have enough women. #EdTechBridge
Q4: Last year's #SXSWEDU discussed the #metoo movement. @edtechwomen asked participants to share their stories for the #edtech industry. Have you (or someone you know) confronted sexual harassment or gender bias in the industry? Share your story and tag #metooedu#edtechbridge
This is terrible - I've had girls who's parents told them they shouldn't take my class because it sounds like a class for boys. The beauty though is that the girl who shared this took my class anyway!!! #edtechbridge
In reply to
@spaul6414, @bilek_brittany, @AlexVKluge, @EdTechBridge
Just wanted to add in that our tech department in our school district is nearly all women. Super proud of the amazing ladies (and men, too) that I have the honor of working with. #EdTechBridge
Is the faculty advisor aware of this, or of the attitude? Are there any standards as to who can participate, or is someone just making it up to exclude someone? #EdTechBridge
In reply to
@spaul6414, @bilek_brittany, @EdTechBridge
A4: While I've been in edtech over a decade, I'm often mistaken as "just a teacher" (don't get me started there) or a "newbie," while male colleagues who are much less experienced/younger don't have the same problems/need to prove their worth #metooedu#edtechbridge#edtechequals
YES! YES! YES! I want to get coding starting earlier in our district as well. Build confidence in ALL students early when they don't have to be effected by bias and can just enjoy it for the love of learning #edtechbridge
I do a very relaxed Hour of Code in my classes which is super chill and it allows girls to dabble in code and often they find out they like it and want to do more! #edtechbridge
Just wanted to add in that our tech department in our school district is nearly all women. Super proud of the amazing ladies (and men, too) that I have the honor of working with. #EdTechBridge
I do a very relaxed Hour of Code in my classes which is super chill and it allows girls to dabble in code and often they find out they like it and want to do more! #edtechbridge
No sure, but I meet with my friend and her daughter. Told them they need to bring this to the attention of the advisor and the building principal. Volunteered to be there if they needed me. #edtechbridge
In reply to
@AlexVKluge, @bilek_brittany, @EdTechBridge
One of our elementary charter schools replaced their foreign language with the language of coding. They now study that every day using @gotynker and everyone (including sped) integrates the projects. #edtechbridge
In reply to
@spaul6414, @mrterborg, @AlexVKluge, @EdTechBridge, @gotynker
Wow that is crazy! My brother does go to a school called High Tech High and they are very forward thinkers and is also a charter school. But one of the girls is in charge of all the electrical work which is a huge task but is still entrusted with it. #edtechbridge
In reply to
@spaul6414, @AlexVKluge, @EdTechBridge
My dept is 50-50 but I do find that some of the male staff can be a problem regarding "mansplaining". Giving each person an opportunity to contribute is important. #edtechbridge
Read this article today. Ada, Grace, Mary, Kathleen, Jean, Betty, Marlyn, Frances and Ruth. All part of tech history. So many more. https://t.co/R9nCXTUwyS#edtechbridge
A5: Leaders must elevate voices from diverse perspectives! Consider... Is it always the same teachers presenting at meetings? What about the same speakers presenting at conferences? Demand panels that are diverse by your support & attendance. #edtechbridge#edtechequals
Hmm...interesting. I love coding for critical thinking skills etc but we have somehow fallen into this tech=coding loop. There is only one person who knows code in my tech department & that's my programmer. Most tech jobs are way more focused on customer service. #edtechbridge
In reply to
@spaul6414, @mrterborg, @AlexVKluge, @EdTechBridge, @gotynker
A5. Provide opportunities for females to be apart of the conversation. Reflect on whether those represented reflects our diverse student population. #edtechbridge
A5: the idea of equity has to be top of mind and discussed regularly. We need to create opportunities for all. We need to engage families. Again, create low stakes opportunities and encourage participation by all. Yes, easier said than done, but persistence is key #edtechbridge
YES! Let female students be part of the planning process. Just like all areas of #edtech, we need to leverage all voices as we are creating for a diverse community #edtechbridge
A5. Provide opportunities for females to be apart of the conversation. Reflect on whether those represented reflects our diverse student population. #edtechbridge
But what about the engineering and data analysis piece of technology? Besides robotics, drones, gaming, etc. there is aside of engineering that very few females are involved in. #edtechbridge
In reply to
@froehlichm, @mrterborg, @AlexVKluge, @EdTechBridge, @gotynker
Hey all - thanks for the great conversation. This needs to be an ongoing discussion. My biggest takeaway is that we need to engage all stakeholders in the conversation, but that's not really new news, just something we need to continually reinforce #edtechbridge
Signing off #EdTechBridge - Jenny here in NC from @_ProjectEd in NY, part of @EntangledGroup in CA (check us out!) My biggest takeaway? There are so many wonderful woman leaders I want to now follow & support! Hope to see y'all at @EdTechWomen or DOLs meetups #edtechequals
