Getting girls into IT/Alice's Group

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