an approach to teaching computer science
TRANSCRIPT
Hello I’m Phoenix Perry!@phoenixperry
Interests: Embodiment, Game Design!Play, Music, Interface design, creative
practice and increasing the participation of women in STEM and ITC
10
12
How to engage young women in STEM & ITC? A 3 step approach to recovery.
14
Women don’t like to program. Myth:
WRONG.
16
Women have a long history of innovating in the field of computer science
We invented programming: the mirco processor the compiler cobalt the OS natural language processing the spanning tree protocol COBOL and on and on and on….
18
Credits… Programming (Ada Lovelace) The first widely used computer language (Jean E. Sammet) First generative programming system (Betty Holberton) Helped develop Basic (Sister Mary Keller) First computerized telephone switching system that used a computer to monitor incoming calls. We still use it today. (Erna Schneider Hoover) Natural language processing for search engines still used today by Google (Karen Sparck Jones) The microcomputer / AKA ARM - the small chips in everything (Sophie Wilson) Spanning Tree Protocol (without this? No internet) Radia Perlman – mother of the internet The term bug and the COBOL language – Grace Hooper The operating system (Mary Allen Wilkes) Anita Borg – Pioneering advocate for women in the field !Programming, The Mircorprocessor, The Compiler, Cobalt, the OS, Natural Language Processing, The Spanning Tree Protocol, COBOL and on and on and on
A few things you might not have if they were not in the field include your phone, the internet, every piece of software on your laptop, google & your operating system…
20
Between now and 2020 this job sector is growing on average 22% a year (double the norm)
Why did this happen? To quote The Notorious B.I.G.
Mo’ Money Mo’ Problems
As long as computing was seen as secretarial & had little financial benefit, society was fine with letting women invent, run and innovate in the field.
Because it became associated with typing and secretarial duties, programming was even considered
women’s work
April, 1967 issue of Cosmopolitan, "The Computer Girls“
If it doesn't sound like woman's work -- well, it just is.... "
It was an expensive item so it was targeted at the family bread winner. The advertising took sexism to a new level. It created the impression that
computers were not for women.
This advertising tactic worked. Men started buying computers. It ramped up to an extreme in console gaming in the 90’s. Gaming was depicted as something only little boys or men did. The ads are either male dominated or disturbingly misogynistic.
However women make up over half of all gamers.
Yet game and technology companies have
not retargeted their advertising.
This tactic contributes to creating a culture of misogyny in games and tech.
We do not have a ITC problem. We have an image problem
How do we fix it? UNDO THE DAMAGE
Step 1. Admit defeat
48
Women majoring in computer science in us universities fell 79% between 2000 and 2011
50
http://www.oecd.org/gender/data/percentageoftertiaryqualificationsawardedtowomenbyfieldofeducation.htm
In computing? 12.83%
51
Why are Holland and Brussels so bad off?
52
53
Step 2 Recognise unintentional bias
54
Courses in CS Cater towards male interests.
55
How do computers and code work?
56
Reintroduce CS to Solve problems and create things
57
Computer Science 101 in C++
58
!
Creative Approaches to problem solving in Science and Engineering using Python
Eliminating the brogrammer effect
59
60
61
NO CODER LEFT BEHIND
62
Step 3 Reintegrate the creative and technical
63
Presenting programming outside the creative arts and practical problem solving?
64
Horrific mistake.
65
66
Game Jams are fantastic opportunities with low risk to get women in ITC/STEM.
67
The Code Liberation Gamerlla game jam case study
68
Themes that are positive and empowering on topics that touch women
69
Bossed up A Nicki Minaj-Themed Game Jam !https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzGZamtlRP0&feature=youtu.be
70
“When I am assertive, I’m a bitch. When a man is assertive, he’s a boss.”
71
Intensive skill dumps pre jam• Women only chance to intro basic cs topics • Two 3 hour sessions where we intro a new platform in a
targeted way geared to making • No separation of creation and code • Zero knowledge assumed. • No coder left behind.
72
Game jam open to all to encourage collaboration
73
Have an exhibition with press at an awesome venue at the end
76
http://itch.io/jam/gamerella-2014#entries
80
Publish the games on a platform after the jam
81
Take aways 1. New skills in context for creative ends 2. Opportunity to apply knowledge 3. Collaborate with others 4. Publish 5. Get recognition !
+10 confidence
@phoenixperry @codeliberation