#digitaledchat is a global twitter chat that covers almost everything and anything to do with modern learning, educational technology and learning spaces. Contributors are often from all over the world and new participants are always welcome to take part!
A1- 3/4 of those who apply to join the coding club are boys vs girls, but I think the gender divide starts with maths. No STEM without maths IMO #digitaledchat
See as boys toys? Electronic toys have been heavily marketed to boys for over 30 years. OR is it that 'be cute not smart' syndrome that plagues teenage girls? #digitaledchat
See as boys toys? Electronic toys have been heavily marketed to boys for over 30 years. OR is it that 'be cute not smart' syndrome that plagues teenage girls? #digitaledchat
Thats true, well, if you keep sticking at it I am sure it might pick up, there's a lot of work to get to such a high place, but Im sure I'll do it one day #digitaledchat
A1: #digitaledchat Hmm..I dont see it, in fact. In the international school zone focus is usually more on "do you qualify" for the role rather than what the gender is. A healthy mix has happened over time.
#digitaledchat Not really. This has been the case is all the schools I have been in so far. In some ways I think its the IB curriculum which keeps the playing field more neutral as it guides ed tech usage accordingly.
#digitaledchat Hear you. But that has to do more with kids not signing up due to preconceived notions of the subject type. Have seen plenty of that in CS but more coding classes have helped with it.
Great sharing. Through all of Year 9s doing a term of Digital, Thinking & Problem-solving (2018- two terms), we're breaking down the boundaries in front of the students. #digitaledchat
#digitaledchat And popular culture too. The words geek and nerd have become associated with negative or "uncool" lifestyles. Plus admin and leadership need to take on bigger role in fixing it. Not jsut Ts.
We all often perform better when there's a collegial presence. In my experience, the girls in 9DTP are awesome at the projects and learning through risk. #digitaledchat
Agree- equitable access is essential, as well as demystifying perceived stereotypes.
Shout out to Elsie Shutt who founded one of the first software businesses in the US, CompInc, in 1958... when Bill Gates was 3yrs old #digitaledchat
A2: #digitaledchat The issue is larger than the school or community. Constant efforts in every class to regroup kids in different ways, to get them to collaborate regardless of gender other bias is a big step forward. Let everyone try their hand at everything.
A2 Gender-neutral projects that encourage teamwork and agency from students. Promote female edtech heroes. Find out why girls are not taking edtech! #digitaledchat
Yep 😉 . It's important for all genders and cultural backgrounds to be acknowledged in the corpus of CS. They are important to motivate the next generation #digitaledchat
#digitaledchat A3: Lot of the gender bias is brought into the school by teachers and admin. Kids tend to replicate what they see, hear. So important to ensure gender is not the focus. Purpose and skills need main attention.
A3 Often edtech is misunderstood by our girls when they're starting off. They think it's about games and big data etc. When they start the programming.... #digitaledchat
Perceptions are very strong that it's a 'male dominated field.' Would be great to have some student feedback. Are learning contexts inclusive enough? #digitaledchat
A3. I always say that industry sets the tone. Big Tech has major problems with gender equity. Work needs doing in both school and policy. Not just one or the other #DigitalEDchat
Interesting. I know when I started teaching English, I was one of two males out of even teachers in my dept. Even my students thought Eng was a feminine subject! #digitaledchat
Perceptions are very strong that it's a 'male dominated field.' Would be great to have some student feedback. Are learning contexts inclusive enough? #digitaledchat
That's the big question. They've set up employment as contract and gig workers so dissent can be shaved off. Report sexual abuse? Don't expect to have your contract renewed #DigitalEDchat
A4: #digitaledchat What are the downsides? None. So what are the benefits? The rest of it! ^_^ Having more heads get into the tech conversation is critical at this point when so much is happening around the world. Its a human approach. Which is inclusive of genders.
I think schools are doing an EXCELLENT job opening tech up to girls. Need to celebrate that and not see industry as a reflection of school #DigitalEDchat
Josh: T from Perth. A1 - I see opportunities for both genders to participate. I'm pretty new to the game and didn't know there was industry wide gender bias. If there are equal opportunities through the 3 levels of schooling how can there be a divide? #digitalEDchat
A4 IMO it highlights an issue that won't go away by chance and needs to be worked on individual and social benefit now and going forward.#digitalEDchat
A4. Raising questions of gender and edtech widens possibility for engagement in tech of humanities and social science subjects at school. Tech engagement doesn't always have to include tech #DigitalEDchat
I think schools are doing an EXCELLENT job opening tech up to girls. Need to celebrate that and not see industry as a reflection of school #DigitalEDchat
A1. The expectation is that it is something for boys to be doing, however when provided with opportunities girls can thrive. My robotics team this year was 8 girls and 2 boys. #DigitalEDchat
Yep. Been waiting 35 years for the gap to close..
If we keep doing the same we can't expect stats to change. We need to critically examine & challenge #DigitalEDchat
A2. Give students a chance at it before automatically assuming that it's for boys. Break down the stereotype before it even begins. The excitement from the girls I'm taking for coding has been phenomenal. #DigitalEDchat
A5 In my opinion, single-sex classes for one year at HS could work. As @Edk8R has said, we can't keep doing the same yet expect different! #digitalEDchat
A3. The stereotypes that exist in regards to technology within schools place up a massive blocker for many before they even begin the journey. #DigitalEDchat
A5- Makerspace, maths, play-based problem solving in early years for all genders. Build collaborative skills. Allow them to tinker and create then move to CS #DigitalEDchat
A4. By challenging the assumptions that exist, we can potentially create learning opportunities for kids that they might have never experienced. #DigitalEDchat
I have my doubts about this approach TBH. Are we just enabling the mindset that produces discrimination to stay the same and not grow up? #DigitalEDchat
A5. By providing opportunities for kids to experience edtech in a variety of contexts and don't make assumptions about who should be involved. Give them the spark to light the fire. #DigitalEDchat
A5. I think widening what engagement in tech means. Eg. I'm not a techy but did history and sociology of tech. Also bit of journalism/media and tech. Include non-tech digital oriented topics in curriculum so edtech is not an island #digitaledchat
This was my q for this #digitalEDchat. I needed to a circuit breaker for the girls at our school after seeing how good they are in Year 9. #digitalEDchat
A6. I think context matters. There are positives and negatives for each. Research context and ask parents and students. Then pitch for single sex with community support, not just 'research says' #digitaledchat
My sociologist brain says that in the olden days it was considered unskilled (high female workers) then over time it showed possibility and capability for power and high $$$. Women got squeezed out #DigitalEDchat
In reply to
@stuartkellynz, @yeates_mark, @Edk8R, @JDorozenko
But it is a fact that males generally hold more top CEO positions and historically get paid more. Look at the amount of principals that are part of the old boys club- does that still exist? #digitaledchat
In reply to
@stuartkellynz, @yeates_mark, @Edk8R, @JDorozenko
