Gender Bias in a Technological Society EM590 Group Research & Presentation

Does Gender Bias Exist? Quick Survey How many male/female can? Program your VCR/DVR/TiVo Play video games? Design a webpage using HTML (vs. WYSIWYG)? Edit video? Can tell me what “php” and “MySQL” are…. Took Calculus I or higher?

Quick Survey

How many male/female can?

Program your VCR/DVR/TiVo

Play video games?

Design a webpage using HTML (vs. WYSIWYG)?

Edit video?

Can tell me what “php” and “MySQL” are….

Took Calculus I or higher?

Overview Gender bias - preference or favoring of one sex over another in computer use/access, software use/manufacturing, and internet use/content gender bias -> 'gender inequality' the cycle = girls are not as interested -> fewer products are made > less research is done to develop software> less interest (cycle continues)

Gender bias - preference or favoring of one sex over another in computer use/access, software use/manufacturing, and internet use/content

gender bias -> 'gender inequality'

the cycle = girls are not as interested -> fewer products are made > less research is done to develop software> less interest (cycle continues)

Keep in mind… Computer Literacy - the knowledge and ability a person has to use computers and technology efficiently. (comfort level someone has with using computer programs) Technology Savvy - the ability to ‘master’ the technology; manipulate the technology to suit needs, etc.

Computer Literacy - the knowledge and ability a person has to use computers and technology efficiently.

(comfort level someone has with using computer programs)

Technology Savvy - the ability to ‘master’ the technology; manipulate the technology to suit needs, etc.

Does Gender Bias exist? (cont.) 1/10 Comp Sci Graduates (Bachelor) are female 1/20 Comp Sci Grad (Doctoral) are female @ University of Wisconsin, 16% of bachelor’s degrees in CompSci awarded in 1998 were women; only 9% in 2006. “ It’s always some pale, geeky guy sitting in a dark room with only the glow of the computerscreen, surrounded by cans of mountain dew and empty pizza boxes[…]and no social skills” – Hillary Grant, 25 (LaRoi, 2007)

1/10 Comp Sci Graduates (Bachelor) are female

1/20 Comp Sci Grad (Doctoral) are female

@ University of Wisconsin,

16% of bachelor’s degrees in CompSci awarded in 1998 were women; only 9% in 2006.

“ It’s always some pale, geeky guy sitting in a dark room with only the glow of the computerscreen, surrounded by cans of mountain dew and empty pizza boxes[…]and no social skills”

– Hillary Grant, 25

(LaRoi, 2007)

Why does bias they exist? Discouragement from adults (Mitchell, 2006) Females equally as interested in technology as boys, prior to 4 th grade Adolescent girls are pressured to be “cute” instead of “smart” Tech “geeks” are rarely considered cute or attractive. Not enough encouragement to take math/science courses “ I remember one of my first classes, all of these guys were sitting doing their gaming stuff and I just felt so out of place. I was real intimidated the first few weeks, thinking I didn’t belong” – Kim Gamble, MATC (LaRoi, 2007)

Discouragement from adults (Mitchell, 2006)

Females equally as interested in technology as boys, prior to 4 th grade

Adolescent girls are pressured to be “cute” instead of “smart”

Tech “geeks” are rarely considered cute or attractive.

Not enough encouragement to take math/science courses

“ I remember one of my first classes, all of these guys were sitting doing their gaming stuff and I just felt so out of place. I was real intimidated the first few weeks, thinking I didn’t belong” – Kim Gamble, MATC (LaRoi, 2007)

Does Gender Bias Matter? Harmless? YES. Period. Lack of technological skills form glass-ceilings at entry-level (Mitchell, 2005) In 2008, 1.3 million new technology employees By 2010, 65% of economy will be based on technology 90% of jobs today’s kindergarteners will be doing do not exist today (Women College Coalition, 2007) Women in non traditional careers can expect lifetime earnings of 150% more than traditional careers Women are nine times as likely to be single parents

YES. Period.

Lack of technological skills form glass-ceilings at entry-level (Mitchell, 2005)

In 2008, 1.3 million new technology employees

By 2010, 65% of economy will be based on technology

90% of jobs today’s kindergarteners will be doing do not exist today (Women College Coalition, 2007)

Women in non traditional careers can expect lifetime earnings of 150% more than traditional careers

Women are nine times as likely to be single parents

Case-in-point Xbox 360 the successor to the Xbox, vs. Sony's PlayStation 3 & Nintendo's Wii (7th Gen. gaming system) by end of 2006 had shipped 10.4 million units (@ around $300 per unit) Top-selling game? (Gamespot, 2007)

Xbox 360

the successor to the Xbox, vs. Sony's PlayStation 3 & Nintendo's Wii

(7th Gen. gaming system)

by end of 2006 had shipped 10.4 million units

(@ around $300 per unit)

Top-selling game?

Xbox 360 Games? Baird, Cole, Marcus, and Dom Male-oriented content

Attempts by software industry to deal with this issue? Nothing, really. Women are the highest purchasers of video games for sons, not daughters Xbox was intentionally designed without females in mind Technology manufacturers beginning to include women in advertising (Mitchell, 2005)

Nothing, really.

Women are the highest purchasers of video games for sons, not daughters

Xbox was intentionally designed without females in mind

Technology manufacturers beginning to include women in advertising (Mitchell, 2005)

Microsoft Xbox

What can Schools do? Provide positive role models (academic.org, 2007) ¾ of teachers are women (AAUW, 2000) Encourage students to challenge stereotypes “ Girl-Geek-of-the-week” Provide hands-on computer time Teachers need to become more connected Take advantage of technology Multiple points of entry (multidisciplinary approach) Prepare teachers in how to integrate basic technology tools into the classroom (Report Card on Gender Equity, 2002) Technology communities & digital equality networks ( www. ncwit .org , www. girlgeeks .org , www. womenintechnology .org )

Provide positive role models (academic.org, 2007)

¾ of teachers are women (AAUW, 2000)

Encourage students to challenge stereotypes

“ Girl-Geek-of-the-week”

Provide hands-on computer time

Teachers need to become more connected

Take advantage of technology

Multiple points of entry (multidisciplinary approach)

Prepare teachers in how to integrate basic technology tools into the classroom (Report Card on Gender Equity, 2002)

Technology communities & digital equality networks

( www. ncwit .org , www. girlgeeks .org , www. womenintechnology .org )

What can Software Designers Do? More female involvement in the design process Checklist for evaluating Software gender bias ( http://www.ncwit.org/pdf/Selecting_K-12_Ed_Software.pdf ) Take into consideration female audience: Girls prefer adventure, friendship and creativity in the storyline rather than action, violence and playing to win. (Fiore, 1999) Range of voices (Royer, 1994) & music preference (Agusto, 2001)

More female involvement in the design process

Checklist for evaluating Software gender bias

( http://www.ncwit.org/pdf/Selecting_K-12_Ed_Software.pdf )

Take into consideration female audience:

Girls prefer adventure, friendship and creativity in the storyline rather than action, violence and playing to win. (Fiore, 1999)

Range of voices (Royer, 1994) & music preference (Agusto, 2001)