ERIC Number: EJ1078796
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2015
Pages: 21
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1743-9884
EISSN: N/A
Technology and Sexuality--What's the Connection? Addressing Youth Sexualities in Efforts to Increase Girls' Participation in Computing
Ashcraft, Catherine
Learning, Media and Technology, v40 n4 p437-457 2015
To date, girls and women are significantly underrepresented in computer science and technology. Concerns about this underrepresentation have sparked a wealth of educational efforts to promote girls' participation in computing, but these programs have demonstrated limited impact on reversing current trends. This paper argues that this is, in part, because these programs tend to take a narrow view of their purpose, ignoring important factors that shape girls' identities and education/career choices--not least broader narratives around gender, race, and sexuality. This paper focuses on the issue of sexuality--that is, how sexuality discourses are shaping a diverse range of girls' experiences with technology, their perceptions of themselves, and their ultimate educational and career choices. The paper makes the case for considering these important connections, bringing together research in two disparate areas: (1) sociological research in gender, diversity, and technology and (2) critical cultural studies research in youth sexualities and schooling.
Descriptors: Computer Science, Information Technology, Females, Disproportionate Representation, Gender Issues, Gender Differences, Racial Factors, Sociology, Technology Education, Barriers, Sex Stereotypes, Gender Bias, Cultural Influences, Research, Feminism, Equal Education, Student Participation, Sex Education
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: National Science Foundation (NSF)
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: 1203206