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Actively Recruit Girls to CS. Joanne McGrath Cohoon UVA Associate Professor NCWIT Senior Research Scientist. Michigan Tapestry Workshop August 2, 2012. Following up on Self-Affirmation. Identify your most important value(s) E.g., relationships with friends, family, being good at **
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Actively Recruit Girls to CS Joanne McGrath Cohoon UVA Associate Professor NCWIT Senior Research Scientist Michigan Tapestry Workshop August 2, 2012
Following up on Self-Affirmation • Identify your most important value(s) • E.g., relationships with friends, family, being good at ** • Write a paragraph about why this value is important to you
Girls studied computing when they had • Positive early experiences • Positive female role models • Adult encouragement • Information tying computing to existing values / interests
Support and encourage Cheering works! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gQ84-vWNGU Cohoon, 2006
Actively Recruit using messages that counter stereotypes without repeating them
Conditions needed for choice Expectation of success is crucial
Girls morethan boys are interested in • Helping people • Saving the planet
An example for those interested in fashion or helping the handicapped
Help girls get what they want • Belong, with potential to have status in group • NCWIT Award for Aspirations in Computing • Recruit groups instead of individuals • Fulfill role - conform to expectations • Computing is social • Computing helps people • Computing helps the nation • Computing lets you give back to your community
Effective messages depend in part on culture • Flexibility: industry, geographic • Socially relevant • Work with others • Time with family • Job projections • High salaries • Satisfied professionals
Computer Scientists work in every industry Source: dotdiva.org
Computing offers exciting work that affects our world and the people in it • Create technology for • Tracking endangered dolphins • Mobile forensics labs for instant analysis at crime scenes • GPS systems that guide blind people • Scanning DNA for childhood diseases • Designing and displaying new fashions • Restoring and preserving art work Source: dotdiva.org
Computer Scientists give back to their communities • Technology for human rights • Design secure databases to record human rights abuses while shielding the identities of victims or witnesses • Create tools that help ordinary people collect extraordinary amounts of money for important causes
Best Jobs in America 2011 • Software Engineer • Mathematician • Actuary • Statistician • Computer Systems Analyst • According to CareerCast
Take care what you communicate • Beware of communicating or reinforcing stereotypes • Avoid comparisons of girls with boys • Refrain from implying only geniuses succeed in CS Do many young women want to turn into Dilbert, a nerd, a geek?? Who will think your joke is funny?
May actually create stereotypes Forget details Once implanted, difficult to dislodge Avoid mythbusting, geeks, cubicles, code monkeys, … “I’ve heard that before so it must be true” See “How Warnings about False Claims Become Recommendations” www.acrwebsite.org/topic.asp?artid=250
Messages Embedded in Activities, Messenger, Images • Robots • Saving lives v. fun or competition • Young women talking to girls • Greater sense of “possible self” • Greater chance that language choices and understanding will be similar • Photos on posters • People rather than things • Teams that are mostly girls
Convey Your Message • Go where the capable students are • Recruit friendship groups to avoid isolation • Personally extend invitations – “You’d be great at this” • “Use your love of math…” Sell it!
Overcome objections • Use student’s name • Assure student s/he can succeed (if you believe that) • Listen, acknowledge student’s expressed beliefs – “I understand why you think that CS is …” • Offer persuasive evidence – “… but can I show you the actual numbers?” or “but can I tell you about my former students?” • Don’t let refusal be permanent – “Can we talk again before you choose your courses for next year?”
Introductory courses are crucial • Use the course as a recruiting tool • Inclusive pedagogy • Tie concepts to interesting uses • Inhibit grandstanding • Collaborative learning • Encourage!! See practice sheets on Harvey Mudd & UVA successes
Consider Influencers Parents’ Ranking of Hopes for Kids • Sons • Persevere to meet future family responsibilities • Daughters • Be happy in career choice
Inform & enlist guidance counselors • NCWIT C4C campaign equips counselors • Up-to-date information • Resources for effective advising Brought to you by the K-12 Alliance of NCWIT
Gender & Computing Joanne McGrath Cohoon UVA Associate Professor NCWIT Senior Research Scientist
Finally • Remember to track and report your outcomes
Now that you knowGo beyond the already interested Get more and diverse students
NCWIT is the National Center for Women & Information Technology Mobilizing for Change: NCWIT Our coalition includes more than 250 universities, corporations, and non-profits.