12/10/2023
For decades, women were leaders in computer science but then, in 1984, their representation in the field dropped dramatically -- in a way unseen in any other scientific or technical field. In recognition of Computer Science Week, we're looking at the reasons behind this dramatic drop and current efforts to reverse this trend. What Caitlin Kenney and Steve Henn discover in this excellent segment on NPR's Planet Money offers valuable insight on how gender stereotypes, especially as they pertain to children's toys and marketing, can have far-reaching and unforeseen effects.
The 15-minute podcast is a must hear to truly understand what happened during this period but, in a nutshell, the Planet Money team determined that it was in the early 1980s that the narrative first emerged that computers are for boys. The first personal computers weren't much more than toys and they were marketed almost exclusively to boys and men. Computer geek culture also began to emerge during this period and TV shows, movies, and video games all reaffirmed that computers were the domain of boys.
By 1984, the first generation of students who could have had a home computer entered college. Research at the time found parents were much more likely to buy computers for boys than girls and many more boys had experience programming prior to entering college. As a result, many young women discovered that they were already significantly behind their male peers from day one and, often facing discouragement from their fellow students and professors alike, women left computer science programs in droves.
Interestingly, prior to the introduction of the home computer and the gendered marketing of it as a 'boy' device, women were very active in the field and saw a sharp increase in their numbers between 1970 and 1984. Their representation in the field peaked in 1984 when 37% of computer science degrees were awarded to women; by 2011, according to the Computing Research Association, that number fell to 12%.
The segment also explores successful efforts at several elite computer sciences programs, such as those at Carnegie Mellon University and Harvey Mudd College, to combat sexism in the field and to turn this trend around. While such initiatives are encouraging, there is still significant progress that needs to be made: a study in 2016 by the Institution for Engineering and Technology found that toys with a technology, science, or math focus are still three times more likely to be targeted at boys than girls even today. To listen to "When Women Stopped Coding" on NPR, visit http://n.pr/1rOiDB6
For adult readers who would like to learn more about the unsung female heroes who built the internet, we highly recommend "Broad Band" at https://www.amightygirl.com/broad-band
To introduce kids to the brilliant women who programmed the world's first all-electronic computer, we recommend the chapter book "Women Who Launched The Computer Age" for ages 6 to 8 (https://www.amightygirl.com/women-launched-computer-age) and the picture book "How a Team of Women Coded the Future" for ages 5 to 9 (https://www.amightygirl.com/instructions-not-included)
For an inspiring book about pioneering women in technology - which includes a variety of hands-on STEM projects that kids can try at home - we highly recommend "Gutsy Girls Go for Science: Programmers" for ages 8 to 11 at https://www.amightygirl.com/gutsy-girls-programmers
For an excellent picture book about the pioneering computer scientist Grace Hopper, we highly recommend “Grace Hopper: Queen of Computer Code” for ages 5 to 9 at https://www.amightygirl.com/hopper-queen-of-code
For fun ways to spark your Mighty Girl's interest in programming, we recommend Coding Critters: Dipper the Narwhal (https://www.amightygirl.com/narwhal-coding-toy), Space Rover Coding Activity Set (https://www.amightygirl.com/space-rover-coding-set), and and Code & Go Robot Mouse Kits (https://www.amightygirl.com/code-go-mouse-kit), all for ages 4 and up
For coding kits for kids of all ages, visit the ‘Coding & Robotics' section of our 2023 Holiday Gift Guide at https://www.amightygirl.com/holiday-guide
