Are
you a girl interested in technology and technology-related
careers? It may be hard to believe, but research shows that
girls are less likely than boys to seek out computer-related
activities, college degrees, and careers. It may even be
hard for you to find out about these opportunities.
This How-to Guide will provide you with some ideas for how
to get more involved in technology and your future! Use this
guide for your own research, or follow all of the steps to
create a presentation that you can present to your school
board or other decision makers to help them understand the
need for programs that support girls and technology.
Below is a list of ideas for girls who are interested in
technology. The Resources section of SVRC includes links to many organizations that
support these ideas. You can also search using your favorite
search engine.
Join a Club or Form a Club
There are many local and national clubs designed for students
interested in technology. Some are just for girls. There
are robotics clubs, computer clubs, student tech clubs, gaming
clubs, and so on. Find out if there is an organization near
you. If not, find a large national organization and find
out what it takes to start a local chapter.
Take a Class
Taking a class is a good way to find out more about a topic
and also a way to meet others interested in the same things.
It's also a fun thing to do with a friend. Your options for
finding a class probably include at least one of the following:
- Take an online course
- Take a course at a local community college
- Add a course at your school
See the How-to
Guide about "Identifying new opportunities
for students interested in taking technology courses" for
more about these options.
Find a summer program
Find out about summer camps, internships, and pre-college
programs for students interested in technology. You might
be surprised to learn about some exciting options.
Find a mentor
A mentor is someone who you can turn to for advice about
your education and future career. There are many organizations
whose aim it is to connect young women with mentors in the
science and technology fields. You can contact such an organization
and request that they help match you up with someone in a
field that interests you. You can also try writing letters
to women you admire.
Find out about career opportunities
There are many online resources designed to give you more
information about careers in science, math, and engineering
fields. There is a collection of these websites in the Resources section of this website.
If you have a specific career interest, try writing to some
companies requesting a visit to their offices. The company
may be able to set up some informational interviews with
their employees and let you observe the type of work that
they do.
Conferences and Competitions
Other opportunities for getting connected to the world of
technology include student conferences, competitions, science
fairs, and so on. Many of the organizations listed in the
Resources section feature news updates about upcoming events.
Start a Conversation at Your School
Are there any of the ideas listed above that you want to pursue
with your school or community? Follow the steps below to engage
students and adults in conversation about supporting these
programs.
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Problem and Proposal
What is your problem? What is your proposal?
Problem: |
There are not enough
opportunities for girls to find out about and
get involved in technology-related activities
and careers. |
Proposal: |
Support programs that create
opportunities for girls to find out about and
participate in technology learning, career investigation,
and other technology-related activities. |
Print out this worksheet to collect your ideas and
your research for your action proposal. |
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Rationale
What reasons support your goal? Some examples might
include:
- Statistically, girls are less likely than boys
to take technology classes, pursue technology degrees,
and become technology professionals.
- Women role models and mentorship opportunities
can help support girls as they pursue their education
and career goals.
What is your school's technology plan? Can you
show how your idea supports your school or district’s
plan for technology?
Read about school technology plans.
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Research
Find news articles and other
research to learn how other schools have approached
this same problem.
Browse the SVRC Success Stories for advice from the student
community.
There are many ways to open dialog about this issue.
You might want to organize a lunchtime conversation.
Or else you might organize an evening event with representatives
from the school board, faculty, and student body to
discuss the opportunities for girls in your school
district.
You could also organize a poll to find out your classmates'
and faculty opinions about the current opportunities
for girls who are interested in technology at your
school. You might ask questions such as:
- Are you happy with the current opportunities
for girls who are interested in technology at our
school?
- Do you think there should be more opportunities?
- If there were a technology club, would you
be interested in participating?
- If there was a mentorship program or career
outreach program, would you participate?
Find resources and articles about planning research
projects. |
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Obstacles
What issues do you need to consider?
Read about issues to consider when suggesting change.
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Details of your
proposal
What is your proposal? Now that you’ve identified
your goals and completed your research, write a summary
of your proposal.
|
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Support
Think about groups and individuals who would be willing
to support your idea. Some examples may include individual
teachers, student clubs, your school’s PTA, the
student government, service clubs, and local business
groups. Try to think of a group that would have an interest
in volunteering some time to help you.
Share your research and your proposal and see if these
groups are willing to support you as a volunteer, a mentor,
or even just adding their word of support to your proposal. |
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Make a presentation
A successful presentation summarizes your proposal,
your rationale, and your research. This is what
you are going to use to convince the decision-makers
to support you.
Review the worksheet of what should be in your
action proposal.
See an example of an Action Proposal presentation. |
|
Set up a meeting
Write a letter, make a phone call, or send an email
to set up a meeting with decision-makers to present
your idea. Your letter should include an introduction
of your proposal and a polite request for a time when
you can share your idea. Explain that you have done
research and have a proposal to share with them regarding
creating more opportunities for girls interested in
technology.
Who makes decisions about this topic?
Read a who’s who of school decision makers.
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Present Your Action
Proposal: This is your chance you use your
best manners. Remember, you want to be convincing and
likeable. If you’ve followed the steps in this
guide, you are prepared with good research and support
for your ideas. Your job now is to present your
proposal and gain support from decision-makers. |
Have you had success creating new dialog about this issue at your school?
Please submit your Success Story or
email any feedback about this module to
SVRCStaff@netday.org.
You are a star! |
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