Encouraging Girls to Code
The tremendous gender gap in the tech industry is crystal clear in today’s day and age; the percentage of women achieving computer science related degrees has reached its lowest point in over 40 years. If we do not work towards increasing female engagement in tech, the continual decline of women entering the industry is deemed to be a real threat.
Girls are often discouraged from undertaking subjects linked to math and science early on in their education. This discouragement has become unconsciously embedded in our culture. The exposure to the perception that men are superior in STEM subjects can create a huge drop in confidence and can affect the aspirations and interests of girls. These stereotypes that are associated with the suitability of women in the tech world are detrimental to their progress, and ultimately, their success. Fortunately, culture is known to experience change, and stereotypes are known to be dismantled.
A study conducted by Google, after they announced in 2014 that women made up only 17% of their tech sector, showed that social encouragement impacts girls more so than boys; any exposure to computer programming from a young age is better than none at all. In order to halt this massive reduction of women in the tech sector, we need to encourage girls to explore STEM learning opportunities while they are young.
Research has shown that people better respond to stereotypes that are present in their immediate environment, rather than those that are widespread across broad culture. This gender divide begins in our communities, namely our schools and universities. Schools need to take advantage of their influence, and the opportunities they have to change the narrative. Teachers have the ability to nurture and encourage an environment that is free of negative stereotypes.
School systems can begin by implementing technology instruction that is available and encouraged to girls early on in their education, and by partnering with organizations like ours that support school efforts at an elementary level.
A study was done by Jane Margolis and Allan Fisher at Carnegie Melon University over 20 years ago that resulted in school changes to improve the prevalence of women in their computer science programs. The several changes implemented were meant to create a more welcoming culture for women in computer science. In 1995, when the study began, the university had a mere 7% proportion of incoming female students in their computer science programs. By the year 2000, that number increased to 42%.
Technology is a field that can only move us forward, and in order to engage the brightest minds in our field, it is imperative that we look to the population as a whole. As an organization that was founded by women, we want to inspire as many girls as we can to get involved in STEM extra curricular activities; and we hope that in the future these programs will be made more accessible in elementary & middle schools. It is our ultimate responsibility to cultivate a community that will uplift the next generation of females in tech.
