Equity Begins with Recognizing Diversity

Summer Institute August 2000© Chris Stephenson

Equity Begins with Equity Begins with Recognizing Recognizing

DiversityDiversity

Chris StephensonUniversity of Toronto


Defining the TermsDefining the TermsFairness

I get what I want/need.Justice

Good people get rewarded and bad people get punished

Equity Everyone gets what they need to

achieve their full potential


Chris’ List of Scary WordsChris’ List of Scary Words

Class/ Socioeconomic status Ethnicity/Race Gender Physical abilities/attributes Religion/Faith/Culture


Chris’ Key ConceptsChris’ Key Concepts

Privilege perks we take for granted

Prejudice lies we are taught to believe

Preconceptions programs we run in our heads which

may have no connection to reality


What I Will Cover TodayWhat I Will Cover TodayIdeas I’ve collected over 16 years of research on technological equity as it relates to: disability race/ethnicity class/socioeconomic status gender


“ If you are going to be a woman scientist, you either have to change how you see science or how you see yourself”

Suzanne K. DamarinThe Ohio State University

The Science ProblemThe Science Problem


The Media MessageThe Media Message All scientists are crazy, or weird, or both:

– the Unabomber– Rain Man– Dr. Frankenstein

Its in the genes. Its about torturing small animals.


Defining the ProblemDefining the Problem

“ We are witnessing the fracturing of the democratic institutions that hold us together. The possibility for an information underclass is growing.” The Benton Foundation Report


The Costs of InequityThe Costs of Inequity

The creation of groups of technological have’s and have not’s will have enormous negative ramifications. Economic Social Moral


People Without JobsPeople Without Jobs 60% of all jobs..require technology skills 75% of all transactions between individuals

and government ..take place electronically.

People without technology skills or access to electronic communication will be at considerable disadvantage.” Goslee, 1998


Jobs Without PeopleJobs Without PeopleIT employs more people and creates more jobs than traditional industries combined. 71% of large and mid-sized companies

report that demands exceed skilled workers

1 job waiting to be filled for every 10 computer programming is expected to

grow by 21 to 35% over the next 10 years


The UnderrepresentedThe Underrepresented

720,000 women work in the IT industry. They represent 30% of its labour force.81% are white81% are white 10% are Asian American10% are Asian American 6% are African American6% are African American 3% are Hispanic3% are Hispanic <1% are Native North American<1% are Native North American


Emotional CostEmotional Cost

Inequities of access and use among segments of the population lead to: disenfranchisement disillusion disintegration of the social fabric


Examining the InequitiesExamining the Inequities


Consider the “ability” Consider the “ability” and Not the ‘dis’and Not the ‘dis’

“ I don’t want to be viewed as ‘normal,’, but, rather as gifted and unique. Everyone lacks some ability. We are all gifted and unique in our own way.”DO • IT News Vol. 8, No.2


Defining DisabilityDefining Disability

The term “disability” itself is problematic. educational medical/rehabilitative social cultural


Disability vs CultureDisability vs Culture

Many Deaf people reject the entire idea of disability in favour of self-defining as part of Deaf Culture.

a common history a visual orientation to the world a unique language (ASL)


Disability in EducationDisability in Education

Traditional views of disability are expanding in education to include auditory, visual, and behavioral learning disabilities.

Greater likelihood that students will be integrated into regular classrooms.

Schools are providing new levels of assisted learning.


Disability in EducationDisability in Education

Students with disabilities take fewer science and math courses. Overall they:

have lower grade and achievement scores,

are underrepresented among those with degrees,

are underrepresented in the workplace.


Breaking the PatternBreaking the Pattern

“If we can provide all students with true equity of access, we can break that cycle of the haves and the have nots. The cycle of welfare..is not an entrenched society but a pervasive society. If we can break that pervasive society, we’ve got it made.” Sharon McCoy Bell


Race/Ethnicity FactorsRace/Ethnicity Factors

32.9% of African American students own a home computer compared to 73% of white students

9% of African Americans are likely to use the Web at home compared to 14% of white Americans

2.8% of African Americans are likely to purchase a home computer compared to 10% of white Americans


High School ComputingHigh School Computing

In 1999 11,793 students took the AP Computer Science “AB” exam

9% women compared to 91% men 65% were white 22% were Asian American 5% were African American 5% were Hispanic 3% were “other”


Socioeconomic Factors Socioeconomic Factors

20% of students from households earning less than $30,000 per year have a home computer compared to 80% in homes with incomes higher than $75,000

43.5% of families on public assistance do not have telephones

50% of female-headed households living in poverty do not have phones


It is Where You Come It is Where You Come FromFrom

Students in areas with a large portion of poor and minority students are much less likely to have technology access.


Gender FactorsGender Factors“ Women working in

science and technology are doubly marked, doubly silenced, and doubly denied.”

Suzanne K. DamarinThe Ohio State University


The Generation Between The Generation Between

High school girls are a generation caught in the middle: more career options and

expectations, more access to technology, still subject to enormous peer and

social pressure concerning difference, less comfortable with technology than

elementary students.


Lies We Tell Our Lies We Tell Our DaughtersDaughters

Girls are different. Girls aren’t different. Science is neutral. Its okay to be smart and a girl. Life is fair. There are no limitations. Having a career doesn’t mean

sacrificing your personal life.


What They Ask What They Ask ThemselvesThemselves

How come I feel different? Why is science/technology boring? If they know I’m smart will they like me? Are there going to be any jobs left for me? How come my Mom still does most of the

housework as well as her full time job?


What We Know For SureWhat We Know For Sure

Virtually every study on gender equity and technology in education concludes that male and female students are treated differently: males receive more attention, males receive more praise, males have greater access to resources, males are encouraged to pursue a

greater variety of careers.


What Really WorksWhat Really Works

The only thing that seems to guarantee gender equity and success in science and technology is single-sex education where girls do not have to compete for: resources, attention, encouragement.


Thanks for Nothing!Thanks for Nothing!

Given that the majority of young people are in heterogeneous, multiracial, multiethnic, integrated, coeducational academic settings, what can we do???


Finding Solutions Finding Solutions

Reality checks and attitude Reality checks and attitude adjustments.adjustments.


Start by Admitting Start by Admitting There is a DifferenceThere is a Difference

Encourage young people in computing to express and explore ways in which they feel different.

Organize around difference to make it easier for them to own it.

Encourage them to begin building support groups that will help support and sustain them.


Never Expect LessNever Expect LessOf your students

encourage high expectations give them tools, not excuses

Of yourself always be aware of your own programs don’t forget, you can’t fix everything

but every day you make a BIG difference


Specific SuggestionsSpecific Suggestions

Group specific activities/access Role models Support groups Management skills Resources


Role ModelsRole Models Model equity in your classroom. On-line mentoring programs. Classroom speakers.

Try to avoid token over-achievers who scare young people into thinking they could never be the perfect rocket scientist, spouse, parent....


Just for UsJust for Us

Classes Project groups Lab time Mentoring Career Counseling


Celebrating Your Celebrating Your Inner NerdInner Nerd

Technology clubs Pocket protector day Don’t comb your hair day Short pants day


Skills TrainingSkills Training

Time managementTime management Presentation skillsPresentation skills Stress management Stress management Resume/interview preparationResume/interview preparation


ResourcesResources Get the Guidance people on track.Get the Guidance people on track. Explore mass media.Explore mass media. Get a good guide to careers in Get a good guide to careers in computing.computing. Novels like Novels like Microserfs Microserfs and and 82 Desire.82 Desire. Find good technology websites.Find good technology websites.


Why You Are So Why You Are So ImportantImportant

Ask any child who their heroes Ask any child who their heroes are.are. Now ask any successful adult.Now ask any successful adult.

““L’education nous faisait ce que nous L’education nous faisait ce que nous sommes”sommes”

HelvetiusHelvetius

Equity Begins with Recognizing Diversity

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