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Gender and Computing

Brought to you by:

Dr. Musiimenta Angella and

Mr. Ampaire Collins

9th Aug 2012 CS4HS

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Background Contexts

Gender: Does not mean a female thing!

Computing = STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) fields

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Women have been in Computing since its inception!

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• Women were computational pioneers of the ENIAC-the worlds first computer used by the American Army. E.g Grace Hoper developed the first compiler for ENIAC

• Women were the first computer programmers e.g Ada Lovelace was the first woman to write an algorithm for execution on an ENIAC machine.

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Women in Computing: Why so few?• Video demo• Though the first computer programmers were females,

women currently make up only a small fraction of the computing industry. This lack of diversity jeopardizes technical innovation, creativity and profitability.

• E.g. gender analysis in the participants and coordinators of this workshop!!

• As demand for talented computing professionals grows, both academia and industry are seeking ways to reach out to groups of individuals who are underrepresented in computing, the largest of which is women.

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• The potential of women continues to be underutilized. Women are under-represented in all STEM decision-making structures (e.g. policy and regulatory institutions, ministries and boards of STEM companies)• In STEM administrative positions, very

few women benefit and these are normally paid lowest wages compared to male counter parts

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Computing Jobs: Why So Few Women?

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Women are found in disproportionately high numbers in the lowest paid and least secure jobs at the lower end of the supply chain. They hold jobs as: o Data entry, o Phone operations, o ClerkYet, there is more to this

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leIs Computing an Man’s field?

• Men dominate in higher paid work in hardware and software engineering and management.

• This may appear to be because of the lack of women engaged in the field, however, • Evidence shows that employers’

biases hinder STEM qualified women from gaining positions in these fields or rising in the company’s hierarchy.

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Is Computing an Man’s field?...

•Failure to employ women skilled in STEM businesses means:

•Loss of capacity that has economic impacts well beyond the life of each individual woman.•Hundreds of people lose through wealth left unrealized,•Millions of dollars may be lost from resources that could have better served the needs of people.

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Food for Thought: Why So Few?

It was a woman who:•Developed the first compiler,•Identified the first computer bug, and •Created the first computer program,

•but women are still underrepresented!!!

Group Brainstorming Session: 1. What factors hinder girls uptake of computer studies in secondary schools?

2. How can we improve girls’ up take of computer studies?

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leBringing Women on Board in Computing

Education = technical skills = computing jobs

Good governance and empowerment: Policies and programmes meant to improve access and women participation e.g. scholarships or reduced University entry points.

Support Groups e.g. intermediary women-based organizations that provide computing support, scholarships and books for women in STEM e.g. Google Anita Borg Scholarship, Google Zawadi Africa scholarships, Society of Women Engineers (SWE), the UN’s Tech-Careers portal for girls and Women, and the UN's Division for the Advancement of Women(conferences).

To do: Check the above for upcoming events and opportunities!

Role Models that have a high profile of success as regards to women contribution e.g. ADA, Grace Hopper, who developed the first computer program and the first compiler.

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Bringing Women on Board in Computing...

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Making of Computing a requirement, or a highly recommended option for students in their early years e.g. computer studies in secondary schools

Trained instructors that encourage women to take STEM fields

Strategies to change negative attitudes

Parental involvement

Encouraging gender equality e.g. equal salaries for both men and women—this sends a strong signal that both women and men are deemed to be critical assets in STEM fields.

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Thank you for your time and contributionsTo do: Check our blog (ICT4All) for inspirational videos!