Contents
About this page
These are notes on Getting girls into IT from a group at linux.conf.au 2009.
Personal Stories, Inspiration and Anecdotes
LOGO, Lego LOGO
Ideas and Issues
GGGFIT: "no-one showed up"
- Need to get them younger
- Motivation: CF WWII Eniac Programmers
- "We Need You" vs "IT Is Fun (LOL)"
- Wealth creation within the country: innovation
- Economic crisis: all hands on deck
- Need things to export
Alice (programming) classes in year 5 and 6
- Use division to dampen input from mouse pointer
Scratch programming, also year 5 and 6
Having something to take home
- ISO image with [tool] which they can burn and take home
- USB sticks, USB rubber bracelets as per rock concerts (need sponsors)
Know your rights, get a lawyer
Mentor -- doesn't need to be female
- Website to connect people to mentors (ACS)
Careers Advisors are often poor advisors
- Provide IT position descriptions with profiles (mix up genders)
- Where can you get more information
- Pathways
CF. "Technology takes you anywhere" book
- We need to make our own "pink book"
- Distribute through careers advisers
Year 10 Careers Day
- Well-paying
- Flexible hours
- Travel
- Scalability issues
Scholarships for women
- Anita Borg
- University Specific (e.g. Southern Cross)
Do talks for TAFE students, professional development for the teachers
Dropping admission requirements for UAI for women?
- Problems with perpetuating the "girls aren't as good at IT" myth?
Competitions?
- Can be off-putting for girls
- Need to link in to class?
- Project Euler
- Talk to IT teachers e.g. VITTA
Professional development courses for teachers.
- How to teach IT (...to girls)
- More information on software packages
TAFE/Uni credits for evangelising
Extra credit at school for TAFE courses in IT Mini-certificate for some day course
"I.T. for scientists"
Scripting to solve problems at school
Organisations
- Queensland Education
- VITTA
- Institute of Physics and other groups who have successfully increased the proportion of women in their field
- Department of Education and Workplace Relations (?)
- Curriculum Corporation
- Learning Federation
- education.au
