Data from observations, focus interviews, symbolic representation interviews, and student art provide an aesthetic framework for studying young girls' interactions with computers and examining what may be unique about those exper  ... more

Data from observations, focus interviews, symbolic representation interviews, and student art provide an aesthetic framework for studying young girls' interactions with computers and examining what may be unique about those experiences. Their experiences provide insight into girls' ways of knowing and engagement with technology. The paper discusses how the educational community can help enhance girls' experiences.   less

Abstract: The Game Initiative's Women's Game Conference focuses on women in the computer and video game industry. The conference program includes career paths for women in the industry, gender inclusive game design and women and g  ... more

Abstract: The Game Initiative's Women's Game Conference focuses on women in the computer and video game industry. The conference program includes career paths for women in the industry, gender inclusive game design and women and girls as consumers of games.The 2005 Women's Game Conference takes place October 26-27, 2005 - the day before and the first day of - the Austin Game Conference at the Austin Convention Center and is open to anyone interested in the game industry and game development.2005 topics include identifying the female game player market, representation of women in advertising, importance of art for female players, consumer trends of female players, games for girls, recruiting and mentoring of women in the game industry and quality of life concerns, and many other timely topics.   less

This paper, by Professor Beal at College of Education in NC State University follows a process used to build a meaningful service learning project that integrated all core subjects and the arts and enabled preservice teachers to  ... more

This paper, by Professor Beal at College of Education in NC State University follows a process used to build a meaningful service learning project that integrated all core subjects and the arts and enabled preservice teachers to aid classroom teachers in teaching and learning about issue driven curricula whose study is enhanced by technology. The project was built around an effort to study and save an inner city wetland. The team of teachers, preservice teachers and students used computer technology to research the issue and build a case for preservation which they presented at a university-wide symposium. This project clearly demonstrates that technology integration is most powerful when used as a tool for real learning, especially about real world issues. Keywords: service learning   less

Abstract: Two pedagogical techniques of IT programs are compared, a traditionally taught computer science (CS) major and an IT certificate program using a fine arts approach to pedagogy. The latter graduates a higher percentage o  ... more

Abstract: Two pedagogical techniques of IT programs are compared, a traditionally taught computer science (CS) major and an IT certificate program using a fine arts approach to pedagogy. The latter graduates a higher percentage of women than of males. Although the two programs are quite different in the nature of the material and what students are expected to learn, CS instructors can borrow from the certificate program in ways that could increase attraction to and retention of women in CS, especially by allowing students to hear each other articulate what they are learning; mentioning practical applications of theoretical principles; and requiring that students display their knowledge and solutions to their peers.   less

American education and liberal arts college students were studied. About 60% chose to take a training course in microcomputers. The control group was an introductory psychology course for undergrads and graduate students; they rec  ... more

American education and liberal arts college students were studied. About 60% chose to take a training course in microcomputers. The control group was an introductory psychology course for undergrads and graduate students; they received no special instruction in computers. Computer attitudes were measured. Males and females' attitudes (anxiety, confidence, interest and especially usefulness) improved after training compared to the pretest and the control group,despite a small pretest advantage in the experimental group for males in anxiety (less), confidence (more) and interest (more). Subjects were not randomly selected.   less

"In this paper the failure of equal opportunities initiatives in computing is discussed. Reasons for the increasing exclusion of women from the higher levels of computing are considered, together with the implications of this prob  ... more

"In this paper the failure of equal opportunities initiatives in computing is discussed. Reasons for the increasing exclusion of women from the higher levels of computing are considered, together with the implications of this problem for the profession as a whole. The paper identifies aspects of computing which have resulted in the definitions of good and bad, desirable and undesirable, real and unreal computing. From this perspective it considers areas of business computing and research findings which indicate that both the present business needs and future trends show that these unlegislated decisions are not appropriate. The solution reached is that the emerging canon in the computer science curriculum places an inappropriate emphasis on 'hard' areas such as mathematical formalism. More incorporation of arts-based skills and skills traditionally associated with women would actually result in a curriculum more likely to meet the needs of the computing and information technology industries. If the emphasis in the curriculum and the rewards system should change to allow for this positive action in terms of curriculum, promotion and advertising will be required, together with a more widespread acknowledgement of what attributes actually contribute to successful computing at a professional level. "   less

Abstract: The University of Virginia (USA) did not admit undergraduate women into its College of Arts and Sciences and the School of Engineering and Applied Science until 1970. Since that time the undergraduate engineering studen  ... more

Abstract: The University of Virginia (USA) did not admit undergraduate women into its College of Arts and Sciences and the School of Engineering and Applied Science until 1970. Since that time the undergraduate engineering student body has grown to 26% female and the women faculty to 13.5% in 1998, and close to 15% in 1999; these are among the highest percentage rates in major engineering schools in the nation. Using the UVa Engineering School as case study, the paper points to successful strategies to draw women into engineering and also calls for further action to increase the presence of women in engineering to a more representational level.   less

The ChemLinks Coalition is a 5-year curriculum development project funded by the National Science Foundation's Division of Undergraduate Education as part of its "systemic change initiative" in undergraduate chemistry ed  ... more

The ChemLinks Coalition is a 5-year curriculum development project funded by the National Science Foundation's Division of Undergraduate Education as part of its "systemic change initiative" in undergraduate chemistry education. The Coalition is comprised of private liberal arts colleges and research universities who have formed an alliance with the Advanced Technology Environmental Education Center's network of community college environmental programs and with Project Kaleidoscope, an informal national alliance committed to strengthening undergraduate programs in science, mathematics, engineering, and technology education.   less

This website is the documentation of an exhibition of working steam engineer models which took place from December 17, 1997 to January 8, 1998 at the Electrokinetics Gallery on Lafayette Street in New York City, under the auspices  ... more

This website is the documentation of an exhibition of working steam engineer models which took place from December 17, 1997 to January 8, 1998 at the Electrokinetics Gallery on Lafayette Street in New York City, under the auspices of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and the Science and Technology Mission of the French Embassy in Washington, DC. The exhibition was a great success. More than 300 people attended the opening and several hundred more saw it before its closing. This exhibition was developed in a course EID 111 ? Design, Illusion and Reality, an elective offered to students of Engineering, Art, and Architecture with funding from the Gateway Engineering Education Coalition. Its interdisciplinary approach enlarges the concept of design that students are exposed to. Group projects emphasize considerations of the interplay between ideas, concepts, values and technical realization in their social, intellectual and historical context. The material presented here can be used as supplementary material for courses in Design, Engineering Science, Society, and Technology, History, New Liberal Arts programs or other such programs. It can also be of interest to the public at large.   less

This study examined the effects of computer experience, age, and sex on attitudes toward computers among 142 high school language arts students, 107 community college mathematics students, and 105 students living in dormitories a  ... more

This study examined the effects of computer experience, age, and sex on attitudes toward computers among 142 high school language arts students, 107 community college mathematics students, and 105 students living in dormitories at a small liberal arts college. Computer attitudes (computer anxiety, computer confidence, and computer liking) were measured by the Computer Attitude Scale (Loyd and Gressard, 1984), which was administered by the teachers, instructors, and dormitory supervisors. The instrument provides three subscales of 10 items each and presents positively and negatively worded statements such as, "Computers make me feel nervous and uncomfortable," with a four-point response scale. Results showed that the students, as a whole, had fairly positive attitudes toward computers. Computer experience was significantly related to more positive attitudes on all three subscales. Significant age effects were found for the subscale "computer liking," but no clear trend for age was demonstrated. Sex was not significantly related to computer attitudes on any of the three subscales. Seven tables and a five-item reference list are included.   less