Getting girls into IT/Alice's Group

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