Communications of the ACM
Girls-Only Computer Class Hits Refresh on It's Geeky-Male Image
Canada's Cardinal Leger Secondary School offers computer science classes that, historically, have been filled mostly with boys and only a few girls, mirroring the industry standard. However, last fall the school's computer science teacher, Dan Harmer, put all the girls into a single class, hoping that the single-sex environment would create a less intimidating atmosphere. "It worked, the intimidation factor was gone and the girls loved it," Harmer says.
Women make up approximately 25 percent of the information and communication technology work force, according to a recent Information and Communication Technology Council report. The report also found that in the next five years Canada will face a skill shortage that could lead to nearly 90,000 unfilled jobs, and that recruiting women and aboriginals to the industry is crucial to addressing the problem.
In response to the shortage of women in the industry, Cisco Systems has formed partnerships with schools such as Cardinal Leger to promote computer science for women and minorities. "I think a lot of women don't go into this field because they're afraid of being the only girl," says Cisco's Hena Prasanna. "When we asked the girls who worked in the tech industry, they said chubby guys with glasses. That's the impression they had and we wanted to change that."
From The Globe and Mail
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