Girls and information and communication technologies

Girls and women are under-represented in professional Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) careers and studies. The Australian Computer Society states that, “Information Technology is one of the fastest growing industries in Australia today, yet only about 20% of the people who work in the ICT industries are women”.¹

Partnerships among schools, TAFEs, universities, women working in the ICT industry, professional associations, education systems and other government agencies are an essential ingredient to increasing the number of young women choosing to study and work with ICT.

Across all sectors of the economy, there were 355,600 ICT professionals in Australia in November 2004. Figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics reveal that women comprise only 20 per cent of ICT employees and only 25 per cent of ICT university students. Female participation in ICT studies is decreasing from year to year.³

1. 
   It would be a boring job
   
2. 
   ICT attracts nerds
   
3. 
   You have to be good at Maths
   
4. 
   It is too technical. ¹
   

In reality, ICT is a fully human discipline that is about solving problems for people. The British Computer Society reports that industries seeking to attain a competitive edge seek employees with skills in “communication, networking, teamwork, sensitivity, balance and the ability to analyse vast amounts of data and apply creative and lateral thinking”.⁴

ICT are influential and that teachers can play an integral role in recruiting girls for ICT. Girls lack strong female ICT role models. Girls are also affected by teachers’ expectations. If girls are not generally seen to be as competent with ICT as boys, this reinforces negative self-perceptions.⁵

levels. It stated that women teachers, especially those over 50 years of age and those in primary schools, are falling behind in both basic and advanced skills.⁶

Ethnicity, race and socio-economic status are also related to low participation and attainment rates in ICT. When gender and one of more of these factors are combined, there tends to be a cumulative affect.⁵
Defining ICT

Many definitions for ICT exist. In a broad sense ICT careers can be understood in terms of work that involves creating, storing, exchanging or using information through the use of electronic technologies. They include roles such as designing and developing software and hardware systems, providing technical support for computer and related systems; creating and managing network systems and databases.

The objectives of this policy are:

1. 
   To raise awareness of the under-representation of women and girls in ICT careers and studies;
   
2. 
   To raise awareness of the changing face of the ICT culture and to debunk the myths which limit girls’ and young women’s thinking about ICT careers;
   
3. 
   To raise awareness of the range of careers in the ICT industry;
   
4. 
   To raise awareness with women teachers of the importance of being an ICT role model;
   
5. 
   To advocate for more ICT professional development for women teachers;
   
6. 
   To promote programs in schools that will encourage girls to undertake studies in ICT;
   
7. 
   To encourage partnerships among education systems, schools, women's groups and other community groups to work to increase the number of girls working and studying in ICT fields;
   
8. 
   To foster socially just and inclusive practices in the use of ICT in schools.
   

The principles underpinning this policy are:

All students have the right to:

1. 
   develop at school the knowledge, skills and attitudes to function successfully in life beyond school;
   
2. 
   access current and emerging opportunities in further education, training and work;
   
3. 
   secure rewarding and worthwhile employment;
   
4. 
   education that redresses gendered patterns of participation in all curriculum areas.
   

1. 
   Develop and promote policy and guidelines to improve gender equity in participation in ICT in schools, TAFES, universities and other training institutions;
   
2. 
   Ensure that professional development, training and appropriate resources are available to support all teachers to encourage and assist girls and young women to engage with ICT across the curriculum;
   
3. 
   Ensure that professional development and training for teachers is delivered within a schooling context;
   
4. 
   Examine structural practices to identify and eliminate any gender bias in post-secondary education;
   
5. 
   Develop links with partners to cooperatively employ strategies to encourage and assist girls and young women to pursue ICT-related careers and studies;
   
6. 
   Track and monitor participation rates in ICT specialty subjects;
   
7. 
   Recruit women as ICT specialist teachers;
   
8. 
   Provide equitable access to ICT infrastructure in schools;
   
9. 
   Undertake research that critically analyses the ways in which ICT is accessed and utilised by both boys and girls;
   
10. 
    Work in partnership with other stakeholding groups;
    
11. 
    Provide technical support for school programs.
    

1. 
   Promote the importance for girls to engage with ICT to teachers, students and parents/care givers;
   
2. 
   Encourage school-based girls and ICT initiatives;
   
3. 
   Address equity issues in subject selection;
   
4. 
   Implement inclusive teaching and learning practices which recognise differences in preferred learning styles;
   
5. 
   Implement strategies to ensure equitable access to ICT hardware, software and infrastructure;
   
6. 
   Support staff to engage in professional learning opportunities aimed at increasing girls’ participation with ICT;
   
7. 
   Increase girls’ awareness of career and study opportunities in ICT;
   
8. 
   Provide opportunities to critically analyse perceptions surrounding work in the ICT industry;
   
9. 
   Provide equitable and appropriate access to ICT resources;
   
10. 
    Provide adequate technical ICT support.
    

The Association of Women Educators will:

1. 
   Advocate to Ministers for Education to develop a girls and ICT strategy;
   
2. 
   Advocate to federal and state/territory Offices for Women to focus on girls/women and ICT;
   
3. 
   Continue to promote awareness of girls and ICT issues in Redress;
   
4. 
   Conduct branch seminars to raise awareness of the girls and ICT issues;
   
5. 
   Conduct training sessions for women teachers to increase their skills in the use of ICT across the curriculum;
   
6. 
   Conduct professional development for teachers that combines ICT skills and gender equity issues;
   
7. 
   Seek funding for and conduct events or programs designed to increase awareness of girls and ICT issues. Target audiences for these programs will include students, teachers and parents/care givers;
   
8. 
   Seek funding for a national girls and ICT strategy for AWE;
   
9. 
   Work in partnership with other groups such as women in technology groups to develop a coordinated approach to girls and ICT;
   
10. 
    Identify and target good practices in schools and publicise these through the AWE website, Redress, email lists, etc;
    
11. 
    Provide examples, resources and linkages on the AWE website.