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I am a simple girl with probably not the most knowledgable mind but I do have many thoughts. I have many goals and aspirations to achieve. However, my lifelong dream is to help children grow, learn, and create with their simple childish minds. I hope you enjoy reading my thoughts as i try to some how make sense with my lack of ability to communicaite on paper. :)

Sunday, November 6, 2011

Can Technology Help Gender Equality in Schools?

A question that has been brought to our attention in technology class is "technology eliminates gender inequality in schools". Well maybe that is true in some cases but I feel those are very unique and special cases. When I think of technology I see boys all over the latest version of a gadget that they can make their newest toy. When I have ever been around technology in school or even just in life, if there is a girl and boy sitting next to me and I need help I immediately ask the boy for help first. Why is that? Well I would say because I naturally think the boy will know how to help me more effectively than the girl. So with the question does technology eliminate gender inequality in school, I have a hard time agreeing with that statement. Maybe I do not know a lot about this topic but I have a feeling that I have some insights. We as educators have hindered closing the gender gap on the capacity for both genders to use technology at the same level. Administrations should be putting policies in place that ensure equal exposure to technology for all students. All students should have equal accessibility regardless of sex, race, socioeconomic background, or disability. Administrations can also be responsible for educating the teachers in gender issues. It is important for teachers to be informed of innovations in classroom management plans and teaching strategies which are fair and equitable to all students. Boys tend to receive more praise for skills in technology while girls tend to be praised for social skills such as team work and compromising. Students should be called on equally to answer higher level questions. Where as now boys tend to be asked these questions, and they tend to offer answers more frequently to technology questions than girls ever do. For me this shows that technology is not being used properly to help inequality in genders. Maybe the technology itself is not making the inequality but the educators who are enforcing it are doing a poor job of allowing a gender gap to take place. 
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2 comments:

  1. hstudebakerNovember 7, 2011 at 1:22 PM

    I found what you had to say very interesting. I agree that it does not completely eliminate gender inequality. However, I do think it can help the situation. I agree that when it comes to technology, boys generally know more naturally than girls. This does not mean that both sexes cannot learn to use technology in the classroom. Getting rid of gender inequality is something only humans can do since humans are the reason for it. What you had to say was very interesting.

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  2. Rachel RobertsNovember 11, 2011 at 9:03 AM

    I appreciate that you pointed out that it is not necessarily technology that is creating a digital divide between boys and girls. Educators can create and reinforce technology-based gender inequalities by what they do and say. Similarly, they can help to close the gender gap through careful effort.

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