Women/Girls in technology

As a School Board Trustee in Michigan I have been starting the conversation about Women/Girls and technology. In this "Flat World" the jobs of the future will focus on technology,science, and math, accounting for 50% of all new jobs. To compete with the world many women will need to account for these new jobs.

Unfortunately, I do not see our education system taking on the responsibility of finding ways to get girls interested in math, science, and technology. Sometimes I feel like the girls are intimidated ny the male dominated fields. As a Supervisor for Best Buy I have trouble hiring enough females...again I think it may have to do with our culture assuming girls aren't interested. Any thoughts?

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Permalink Reply by David Murray on January 5, 2009 at 5:40am: Interesting discussion; perhaps the key issue here is how to get young girls really fired up about subjects like math and science. One way might be to relate those fields to the things girls already know. Cooking, for instance can be approached like a practical chemistry course. Cleaning; now there's some interesting chemistry. Do many girls ever find out how soaps and detergents actually work? How about the effect of hot vs. cold water on bacteria? How do those globs keep moving around in lava lamps? Perhaps making a game out of it is important too. Most card games, for instance are very logic-based and /or probabilistic in nature. In my experience, girls are more mature at a younger age and as I was going through K-12 the girls usually got the top marks no matter what the subject. I don't see any reason girls can't be just as proficient at math as guys; in fact I think they already are. They sure were when I went to high school.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Mateus Augusto Lopes on January 5, 2009 at 5:57am: Well, but aren't deep in technology, like some guys are.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Sol McNally Aka : Dmitri Girl on January 5, 2009 at 11:44am: I can't help but think that close minded people to the concept that a girl might be more intelligent then a guy about technology. And some of the guys I think are afraid of that. It will hurt their ego if a girl helps them. But if a guy were to help them do the same thing then it would be just fine. Or when you buy something at the store. Like a entertainment center. Or anything that you have to put together. I notice that those things were taken away from me by my brother and my boyfriend. Because I feel like they always have to prove they are a one up. And honestly it is sad. I think some guys just live in denial when it comes to girls and them being interested in technology. Like they say there is not a girl that could possibly know more about technology then me. It just doesn't exist.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Annie K on January 5, 2009 at 1:12pm: Wow - I really haven't run into that much. I have guys asking me for advice on all types of tech stuff and my husband always expects me to have all the answers when we go shopping for a new 'tech toy'.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Sol McNally Aka : Dmitri Girl on January 16, 2009 at 11:35am: No offense Annie But I was the poster board girly girl. I was on Dance Team or Drill Team.
As a freshmen and my brother looked at me as someone different. People are judgemental and they can also be in your family. The way you look affects how people perceive you no matter what so sad but true. But the funny thing was is I also wore baggy pants and dressed pretty tom boy. Go figure. But it has always been something that annoyed me. As I got older it was because my hair was platinum blonde and I wore make up and had my nails done. When I worked in the automotive field. Unless you were covered in oil and grease. They didn't think you were a serious mechanic. Which also is a failed misconception. Those that work clean are actually better mechanics. I noticed that since I stopped getting my nails done and well my hair as blonde that I got more respect in fields that I was involved in. Sadly the "dumb blonde" is something that sticks.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Helen on January 13, 2009 at 5:46am: I agree with you Shellyeliot that parents' encouragement and input is invaluable and much more effective than encouragement from school 'programs' etc. And, working in local government and trying to make the money stretch to deliver essential services, I also understand your concerns about 'tax dollars'.

However, there are plenty of children out there that do NOT have supportive or interested parents, they may even have neglectful parents. The state finds it very difficult to fix this and it can be permanently damaging to the child's confidence and future employment prospects, let alone all the other issues.

Providing school extra-curricular activities ('programs') gives those that cannot change their home life situation a fighting chance at pursuing what they are good at, giving them confidence and a sense of achievement that will be with them their whole life.

Maybe those of us that have had supportive parents could donate money to fund these activities, or volunteer to run these activities, in order to reduce the requirement for goverment funding or to enable more programs to be available.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Nams on January 13, 2009 at 9:57am: I guess its the "opportunity" that is missing. There're not enough open doors out there for women to participate in those fields, moreover its hard to break through the custom of IT/Science is for guys. If think deeply about being serve by a male computer technician and a female computer technician (consider they both have the same ability), even tho most of us understand male and female should be equal, but I guess over 50% would say they'd trust the male more than the female. Female has always given the image of loving and caring (well compare to male) and simply there're more opportunities for female to involve in Hospitality or any other Customer Services than Science/Technology. I'm a girl who's so addicted to Technology but there're just not enough opportunities (but of course there're also other circumstances, like culture, and peer pressure etc).; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Tanny Ballard on January 13, 2009 at 11:11am: I love PCs. A friend of mien who is also black and was a helper in my comunnity helped me out :); ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by SassySweetBren on January 13, 2009 at 11:13pm: I started a blog a few days ago about how women have come so far not to have moved forward that much. Maybe I will finish it now.

Women seem to do better in English where men seem to be better in the science and math field.

It has always been my thought that it was just the way we are wired. However, I do feel that the environment at home has a lot to do with it. Women are just treated and taught differently from boys.

With the access to computer, cell phones, games, iPods and so forth coming into the hands of girls, I do feel that they will soon realize that they too can compete with men.

It never occurred to me that I could learn about computers and other tech things say just 15 years ago. However, now, I feel very comfortable with what I know. Not that I was taught. I just wanted to learn.

So, with that said, I think women have to want to learn something before they will. Especially in this country.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by tommy on January 21, 2009 at 11:09am: Women has made a lot of progress in the work field.Women in careers now,not just in housekeeping or flipping burger jobs.Don't get me wrong.There's nothing wrong with these jobs.It's a honest living.I think men has to work harder these days to keep up with women.They may not like the fact i just stated.There is well qualified women in the technology field.No more be superior because you a man.We has to apply ourself now as well as ladies.We has to earn the job.History has changed.I wonder how many lady Geeks here on geeks.pirillo.com ?; ▶ Reply to This