Gender

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Gender TechnologyIs it Biology or Society?

• Samantha Richards and Eric Schmidt

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To give you an idea

• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vbHOIDGIP-ZM

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The basis for our research

• 37 percent of bachelor's degree recipients in
  computer science were females in 1985.
• In more recent years (2004 and 2005), only 28
  percent of CS majors were females.
• In most research universities, only 17 percent of
  CS graduates are women.

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The basis for our research

• This Pie Chart shows the majors of all the female
  students in this section of COMP 380.
• In this class alone, the majority of females are
  COMM and JOMC majors.

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Why does this matter?

• Between 1988 and 2001
• the number of United States published papers in
  science and engineering rises by only 13
• the number of Japanese papers increased 67
• papers from East Asian countries increased 492
• Number of CS Majors was 40 lower in 2004 than in
  2000
• Dot.com Bust

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Why does this matter?

• In 2005, the United States produced 60,000
  engineers.
• China produced close to a million!
• The US economy will add 1.5 million computer- and
  information-related jobs by 2012.
• The US will have only half that many qualified
  graduates.

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Biology or Society?

• Samantha says, Women are equally capable of
  excelling at math and science but that their
  gender has different ways of processing language
  and information.
• Eric says, The decrease in women in the sciences
  (and specifically computer science) is due to
  societal constructs that are hostile to females.

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How to decide?

• We compare the influence of society and gender by
  discussing how both impact females throughout
  their life span (from early education into the
  workplace environment).

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Birth through Pre-teen

• Early education must take advantage of the
  curiosity of young children to spark an interest
  in math and science.
• While middle school provides opportunities such
  as math and science clubs, these are less
  directed towards females.
• These clubs do provide a social environment, but
  are stigmatized with being nerdy and male
  dominated.

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Birth through Pre-teen

• Males females process language and information
  differently due to organization of each brain
• Removal of
• -left temporal lobe interferes with verbal
  skills (Women use this more than Males)
• -right temporal lobe impairs nonverbal skills
• Inferior-parietal lobe is larger in men than
  women (manipulates spatial relationships)

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Birth through Pre-teen

• Typical Female brain development is to form close
  relationships
• ex playing house or with dolls
• A typical boy brain is about the game or toy,
  power, physical strength, etc.

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Teenage Years

• OVERALL PROBLEM under qualified teachers are
  finding themselves in science and math
  classrooms.
• Finding role modelsboth in materials and in
  personthat fit a girls image of a successful
  woman helps break down these barriers.
• Betty Shanahan, the Executive Director and CEO of
  the Society of Women Engineers

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Teenage Years

• Females are trying to fit in with peers
  (inner-self is telling them they have to feel
  attractive to be part of the group)
• Males dont have the same personality traits as
  females they arent necessarily worried about
  what other people think
• Males are interested in more science classes
• It may be their advantage with spatial
  reasoning

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How were your high school math and science
classes?
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College

• One study showed that girls actually receive
  better math grades than boys, but parents of
  daughters were more likely than parents of sons
  to report that math was more difficult for their
  child.
• Daughter successhard work
• Son successtalent
• Rise in popularity equaled rise in the class
  size.
• Eliminates students uncomfortable or marginalized
  in that environment not necessarily the worst
  students.
• Females are not worse in science but less
  comfortable in the environment geared towards
  males.

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College

• Since females have 2 X chromosomes a male has
  1..Male brain fills with testosterone
• (Testosterone kills cells in the communication
  centers ? leads to less communication by males)
• Females are better at verbal skills
• -Use 20,000 words per day
• -Men use approximately 7,000
• Aspergers Syndrome
• -Eight times more common in males than females
  

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Work Place

• Compared with men, women CS faculty members
  are generally paid less and promoted more slowly,
  receive fewer honors, and hold fewer leadership
  positions.
• National Academies report
• The report further says These discrepancies do
  not appear to be based on productivity, the
  significance of their work, or any other
  performance measures

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Work Place

• Biology influences a female when choosing between
  a career and a family
• Takes 5-6 years to earn doctorate ?post-doc years
  ? search for a tenure position
• Prime childbearing years
• Taking time off for a maternity leave may
  disqualify females from a tenure position
• 60 hours/week isnt practical when trying to
  balance both

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Conclusion

• While some biological differences do exist
  between men and women, these differences do not
  keep women out of the field of computer science.
  Rather, the way that society responds to these
  differences has the greatest affect on women
  pursuing science.

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Sources

• Are There Differences Between the Brains of Males
  and Females? Renato Sabbatini. 1997. State
  University Campinas
• Excerpt The Female Brain-Learn What Women Really
  Think. 7 Aug. 2006. ABC NEWS, Washington, D. 31
• Hendrick, Bill. Scientists Mine the Gender Gap.
  Cox News Service 17 Sep. 2006
• Brownlee, Shannon, and Monika Guttman. "Having
  Children Poses Threats for Female Scientists."
  U.S. News World Report 131.11
• Bombiardi, Marcella. In computer science, a
  growing gender gap. The Boston Globe 18 Dec.
  2005. 18 Sept. 2006 http//www.boston.com/news/loc
  al/articles/2005/12/18/in_computer_science_a_growi
  ng_gender_gap/
• Shanahan, B. The Secrets to Increasing Females
  in Technology. The Technology Teacher 66.2
  (Oct. 2006) 22-24.
• Honawar, V. U.S. Leaders Fret Over Students
  Math and Science Weaknesses. Education Week
  25.3 (14 Sept. 2005) 1. 30 Oct. 2006.
  lthttp//www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2005/09/14/03th
  reat.h25.htmlgt