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Actively Recruit Girls to CS Joanne McGrath Cohoon UVA Associate Professor NCWIT Senior Research Scientist Minnesota Tapestry Workshop August 7, 2012 Slide 2 USEFUL MESSAGES FOR RECRUITING WOMEN & MINORITY MEN Slide 3 Conditions needed for choice Interest Expected positive outcome Achievement activity choices Expectation of success is crucial Slide 4 Ignite your students interest Slide 5 Slide 6 An example for those interested in health fields Slide 7 An example for those interested in fashion or helping the handicapped Slide 8 Help girls get what they want Belong, with potential to have status in group NCWIT Award for Aspirations in Computing Recruit groups instead of individuals Fulfill role - conform to expectations Computing is social Computing helps people Computing helps the nation Computing lets you give back to your community Slide 9 Effective messages depend in part on culture Flexibility: industry, geographic Socially relevant Work with others Time with family Job projections High salaries Satisfied professionals Slide 10 Computer Scientists work in every industry 10 Source: dotdiva.org Slide 11 Computing offers exciting work that affects our world and the people in it Create technology for Tracking endangered dolphins Mobile forensics labs for instant analysis at crime scenes GPS systems that guide blind people Scanning DNA for childhood diseases Designing and displaying new fashions Restoring and preserving art work Source: dotdiva.org Slide 12 Computer Scientists give back to their communities Technology for human rights Design secure databases to record human rights abuses while shielding the identities of victims or witnesses Create tools that help ordinary people collect extraordinary amounts of money for important causes Slide 13 1.Software Engineer 2.Mathematician 3.Actuary 4.Statistician 5.Computer Systems Analyst According to CareerCast Best Jobs in America 2011 Slide 14 Take care what you communicate Beware of communicating or reinforcing stereotypes Avoid comparisons of girls with boys Refrain from implying only geniuses succeed in CS Do many young women want to turn into Dilbert, a nerd, a geek?? Who will think your joke is funny? Slide 15 Avoid mythbusting, geeks, cubicles, code monkeys, May actually create stereotypes Forget details Once implanted, difficult to dislodge See How Warnings about False Claims Become Recommendations www.acrwebsite.org/topic.asp?artid=250 Ive heard that before so it must be true Slide 16 Messages Embedded in Activities, Messenger, Images Robots Saving lives v. fun or competition Young women talking to girls Greater sense of possible self Greater chance that language choices and understanding will be similar Photos on posters People rather than things Teams that are mostly girls Slide 17 Help students expect success Hear it See it Feel it Slide 18 Consider Influencers Sons Persevere to meet future family responsibilities Daughters Be happy in career choice Parents Ranking of Hopes for Kids Slide 19 Inform & enlist guidance counselors NCWIT C4C campaign equips counselors Up-to-date information Resources for effective advising Brought to you by the K-12 Alliance of NCWIT Slide 20 Gender & Computing Joanne McGrath Cohoon UVA Associate Professor NCWIT Senior Research Scientist More Resources Slide 21 Slide 22 Finally Remember to track and report your outcomes Slide 23 Now that you know Go beyond the already interested Get more and diverse students Slide 24 ROLE PLAY CONVERSATION WITH STUDENT Slide 25 NCWIT is the National Center for Women & Information Technology Our coalition includes more than 250 universities, corporations, and non-profits. Mobilizing for Change: NCWIT