summer instituteaugust 2000 © chris stephenson equity begins with recognizing diversity chris...
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Summer Institute August 2000© Chris Stephenson
Equity Begins with Equity Begins with Recognizing Recognizing
DiversityDiversity
Chris StephensonUniversity of Toronto
Summer Institute August 2000© Chris Stephenson
Defining the TermsDefining the Terms
Fairness I get what I want/need.
Justice Good people get rewarded and bad
people get punished
Equity Everyone gets what they need to
achieve their full potential
Summer Institute August 2000© Chris Stephenson
Chris’ List of Scary WordsChris’ List of Scary Words
Class/ Socioeconomic status
Ethnicity/Race
Gender
Physical abilities/attributes
Religion/Faith/Culture
Summer Institute August 2000© Chris Stephenson
Chris’ Key ConceptsChris’ Key Concepts
Privilege perks we take for granted
Prejudice lies we are taught to believe
Preconceptions programs we run in our heads which
may have no connection to reality
Summer Institute August 2000© Chris Stephenson
What I Will Cover TodayWhat I Will Cover Today
Ideas I’ve collected over 16 years of research on technological equity as it relates to:
disability
race/ethnicity
class/socioeconomic status
gender
Summer Institute August 2000© Chris Stephenson
“ If you are going to be a woman scientist, you either have to change how you see science or how you see yourself”
Suzanne K. DamarinThe Ohio State University
The Science ProblemThe Science Problem
Summer Institute August 2000© Chris Stephenson
The Media MessageThe Media Message
All scientists are crazy, or weird, or both:– the Unabomber– Rain Man– Dr. Frankenstein
Its in the genes.
Its about torturing small animals.
Summer Institute August 2000© Chris Stephenson
Defining the ProblemDefining the Problem
“ We are witnessing the fracturing of the democratic institutions that hold us together. The possibility for an information underclass is growing.”
The Benton Foundation Report
Summer Institute August 2000© Chris Stephenson
The Costs of InequityThe Costs of Inequity
The creation of groups of technological have’s and have not’s will have enormous negative ramifications.
Economic
Social
Moral
Summer Institute August 2000© Chris Stephenson
People Without JobsPeople Without Jobs
60% of all jobs..require technology skills
75% of all transactions between individuals and government ..take place electronically.
People without technology skills or access to electronic communication will be at considerable disadvantage.”
Goslee, 1998
Summer Institute August 2000© Chris Stephenson
Jobs Without PeopleJobs Without People
IT employs more people and creates more jobs than traditional industries combined.
71% of large and mid-sized companies report that demands exceed skilled workers
1 job waiting to be filled for every 10 computer programming is expected to
grow by 21 to 35% over the next 10 years
Summer Institute August 2000© Chris Stephenson
The UnderrepresentedThe Underrepresented
720,000 women work in the IT industry. They represent 30% of its labour force.81% are white81% are white 10% are Asian American10% are Asian American 6% are African American6% are African American 3% are Hispanic3% are Hispanic <1% are Native North American<1% are Native North American
Summer Institute August 2000© Chris Stephenson
Emotional CostEmotional Cost
Inequities of access and use among segments of the population lead to:
disenfranchisement
disillusion
disintegration of the social fabric
Summer Institute August 2000© Chris Stephenson
Examining the InequitiesExamining the Inequities
Summer Institute August 2000© Chris Stephenson
Consider the “ability” Consider the “ability” and Not the ‘dis’and Not the ‘dis’
“ I don’t want to be viewed as ‘normal,’, but, rather as gifted and unique. Everyone lacks some ability. We are all gifted and unique in our own way.”
DO • IT News Vol. 8, No.2
Summer Institute August 2000© Chris Stephenson
Defining DisabilityDefining Disability
The term “disability” itself is problematic.
educational
medical/rehabilitative
social
cultural
Summer Institute August 2000© Chris Stephenson
Disability vs CultureDisability vs Culture
Many Deaf people reject the entire idea of disability in favour of self-defining as part of Deaf Culture.
a common history
a visual orientation to the world
a unique language (ASL)
Summer Institute August 2000© Chris Stephenson
Disability in EducationDisability in Education
Traditional views of disability are expanding in education to include auditory, visual, and behavioral learning disabilities.
Greater likelihood that students will be integrated into regular classrooms.
Schools are providing new levels of assisted learning.
Summer Institute August 2000© Chris Stephenson
Disability in EducationDisability in Education
Students with disabilities take fewer science and math courses. Overall
they:
have lower grade and achievement scores,
are underrepresented among those with degrees,
are underrepresented in the workplace.
Summer Institute August 2000© Chris Stephenson
Breaking the PatternBreaking the Pattern
“If we can provide all students with true equity of access, we can break that cycle of the haves and the have nots. The cycle of welfare..is not an entrenched society but a pervasive society. If we can break that pervasive society, we’ve got it made.” Sharon McCoy Bell
Summer Institute August 2000© Chris Stephenson
Race/Ethnicity FactorsRace/Ethnicity Factors
32.9% of African American students own a home computer compared to 73% of white students
9% of African Americans are likely to use the Web at home compared to 14% of white Americans
2.8% of African Americans are likely to purchase a home computer compared to 10% of white Americans
Summer Institute August 2000© Chris Stephenson
High School ComputingHigh School Computing
In 1999 11,793 students took the AP Computer Science “AB” exam
9% women compared to 91% men 65% were white 22% were Asian American 5% were African American 5% were Hispanic 3% were “other”
Summer Institute August 2000© Chris Stephenson
Socioeconomic Factors Socioeconomic Factors
20% of students from households earning less than $30,000 per year have a home computer compared to 80% in homes with incomes higher than $75,000
43.5% of families on public assistance do not have telephones
50% of female-headed households living in poverty do not have phones
Summer Institute August 2000© Chris Stephenson
It is Where You Come It is Where You Come FromFrom
Students in areas with a large portion of poor and minority students are much less likely to have technology access.
Summer Institute August 2000© Chris Stephenson
Gender FactorsGender Factors
“ Women working in science and technology are doubly marked, doubly silenced, and doubly denied.”
Suzanne K. DamarinThe Ohio State University
Summer Institute August 2000© Chris Stephenson
The Generation Between The Generation Between
High school girls are a generation caught in the middle: more career options and
expectations, more access to technology, still subject to enormous peer and
social pressure concerning difference, less comfortable with technology
than elementary students.
Summer Institute August 2000© Chris Stephenson
Lies We Tell Our Lies We Tell Our DaughtersDaughters
Girls are different. Girls aren’t different. Science is neutral. Its okay to be smart and a girl. Life is fair. There are no limitations. Having a career doesn’t mean
sacrificing your personal life.
Summer Institute August 2000© Chris Stephenson
What They Ask What They Ask ThemselvesThemselves
How come I feel different?
Why is science/technology boring?
If they know I’m smart will they like me?
Are there going to be any jobs left for me?
How come my Mom still does most of the housework as well as her full time job?
Summer Institute August 2000© Chris Stephenson
What We Know For SureWhat We Know For Sure
Virtually every study on gender equity and technology in education concludes that male and female students are treated differently: males receive more attention, males receive more praise, males have greater access to resources, males are encouraged to pursue a
greater variety of careers.
Summer Institute August 2000© Chris Stephenson
What Really WorksWhat Really Works
The only thing that seems to guarantee gender equity and success in science and technology is single-sex education where girls do not have to compete for:
resources, attention, encouragement.
Summer Institute August 2000© Chris Stephenson
Thanks for Nothing!Thanks for Nothing!
Given that the majority of young people are in heterogeneous, multiracial, multiethnic, integrated, coeducational academic settings, what can we do???
Summer Institute August 2000© Chris Stephenson
Finding Solutions Finding Solutions
Reality checks and attitude Reality checks and attitude adjustments.adjustments.
Summer Institute August 2000© Chris Stephenson
Start by Admitting Start by Admitting There is a DifferenceThere is a Difference
Encourage young people in computing to express and explore ways in which they feel different.
Organize around difference to make it easier for them to own it.
Encourage them to begin building support groups that will help support and sustain them.
Summer Institute August 2000© Chris Stephenson
Never Expect LessNever Expect Less
Of your students encourage high expectations give them tools, not excuses
Of yourself always be aware of your own programs don’t forget, you can’t fix everything but
every day you make a BIG difference
Summer Institute August 2000© Chris Stephenson
Specific SuggestionsSpecific Suggestions
Group specific activities/access
Role models
Support groups
Management skills
Resources
Summer Institute August 2000© Chris Stephenson
Role ModelsRole Models
Model equity in your classroom. On-line mentoring programs. Classroom speakers.
Try to avoid token over-achievers who scare young people into thinking they could never be the perfect rocket scientist, spouse, parent....
Summer Institute August 2000© Chris Stephenson
Just for UsJust for Us
Classes
Project groups
Lab time
Mentoring
Career Counseling
Summer Institute August 2000© Chris Stephenson
Celebrating Your Celebrating Your Inner NerdInner Nerd
Technology clubs
Pocket protector day
Don’t comb your hair day
Short pants day
Summer Institute August 2000© Chris Stephenson
Skills TrainingSkills Training
Time managementTime management
Presentation skillsPresentation skills
Stress management Stress management
Resume/interview preparationResume/interview preparation
Summer Institute August 2000© Chris Stephenson
ResourcesResources
Get the Guidance people on track.Get the Guidance people on track.
Explore mass media.Explore mass media.
Get a good guide to careers in Get a good guide to careers in computing.computing.
Novels like Novels like Microserfs Microserfs and and 82 Desire.82 Desire.
Find good technology websites.Find good technology websites.
Summer Institute August 2000© Chris Stephenson
Why You Are So Why You Are So ImportantImportant
Ask any child who their heroes Ask any child who their heroes are.are.
Now ask any successful adult.Now ask any successful adult.
““L’education nous faisait ce que nous L’education nous faisait ce que nous sommes”sommes”
HelvetiusHelvetius