https://www.raspberrypi.org/blog/formal-non-formal-learning-opportunities-computing-education-impact-on-gender-balance/ Teach, learn and make with Raspberry Pi Wed, 27 Apr 2022 13:54:50 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.2.2 https://www.raspberrypi.org/blog/formal-non-formal-learning-opportunities-computing-education-impact-on-gender-balance/#comment-1556305 Sat, 22 May 2021 07:50:10 +0000 https://www.raspberrypi.org/?p=70606#comment-1556305 I fail to understand why there is this persistent effort to create an outcome based on gender in IT when the gender numbers in other careers pass without comment . IT is open to everyone but maybe it just isn’t as appealing to some people (perhaps people that have traditionally been attracted to roles with high levels of people interaction for example). Please ditch the equality of outcome and focus on providing equality of opportunity.

]]> https://www.raspberrypi.org/blog/formal-non-formal-learning-opportunities-computing-education-impact-on-gender-balance/#comment-1555802 Sun, 16 May 2021 17:15:30 +0000 https://www.raspberrypi.org/?p=70606#comment-1555802 I have spent a large chunk of my computing lifetime (nearly 60 years total) encouraging girls (including my two daughters) to become computer wizardettes. I provided my real and part-time daughters (their many friends) with free access to my basement laboratory (20 PCs) and library. Yet, the total yield of these efforts was a total of 1 lady who now works as an elementary school teacher and local IT resource. Where did I go wrong? I believe it is not enough to provide access to computing resources and intermittent encouragement to overcome the bias currently built into our so-called education system (really a non-system plagued by retrogressive, prejudiced, superstitious, and abysmally STUPID culture warriors on school boards and state education commissions, creating curricula and study plans that actively discourage girls from excelling in STEM pursuits). If we want more wizardettes (and we desperately NEED them) we must continue to develop activist programs like those described in the above post. However, I also believe that these activities should also include some boys, with the aim of educating them to appreciate, encourage, and benefit from exposure to female computing talent. If we wish to overcome bias, we must educate BOTH (or should I say ALL) sexes to promote gender equality and gender-blind excellence in computing.

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