This
article, “Girls Save the World through Computer Science”, of the May 2011 issue
of Learning and Leading talks about
how a dozen girls from Ohio delivered laptops to students in the Caribbean and
taught the kids how to use them. The teacher
at the Columbus School for Girls wanted her students to be open to computer
science as a career, as fewer and fewer women are entering computer science
fields. In doing so, the girls needed to
learn and understand hardware, software, maintenance, troubleshooting,
networking and other activities on the computer in order to teach the Caribbean
students about computers. While doing
this, the teacher hoped that the girls would gain an appreciation for the
subject matter. The computers used for
this project were XO computers, which are computers designed for children in
developing countries. After the trip,
the group of girls from the trip had plans to continue their work in computer
science and that was when the teacher knew the trip had been a success. The students were motivated by real work that
serves a real purpose in the world.
I feel
that it is very important for girls to know and understand the ins and outs of
computer science because there are always jobs in the computer science field
and in need of women in that industry. Computer science is continually changing our
world. I also think this is a great trip
for students in high school because they were able to master something, such as
computers, and then teach their newly adopted knowledge to others less privileged. This trip not only broadened the girl’s
knowledge, but also helped them become good service members in the
community. The girls were able to boost
self-confidence after teaching others in the Caribbean about computers and were
able to form lasting friendships.
This
article is related to the ISTE NETS performance indicator number two, “Communication
and Collaboration”. This performance
indicator highlights interacting and collaborating with peers while developing
a cultural understanding and global awareness by engaging with learners of other
cultures. The high school girls from
Ohio were able to teach less fortunate students in the Caribbean about how to
use a computer and the importance of computer science.
Murakami, C. (2011). Girls save the world through computer science. Leading and Learning with Technology, 38(7), 24-29.
The federal and state governments have been trying to get more girls and minority students to get into STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) careers. They have invested a lot of money and resources to provide opportunities for these students to gain access to STEM. I think the project in Murakami's article can help, but we should not overlook the society's mindset on girls and student "subgroups." Educational issues have broad socio-political contexts that need to be considered.
ReplyDeleteR-J