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How Can We Attract More Girls?
Posted by Celeste Baine on May 7, 2009 Talkback From Kevin Young - The Engineering department at MIT has an outreach program targeting junior high age girls. This program has been gaining recognition. And, the word is that it leaves quite an impact. Check it out at www.scigirls.org. Posted on June 9, 2009 at 3:36 pm PST From Sarah - I have found that most girls are not interested in robots, and especially not LEGOs. I find that it works for the 10-20% of girls who already like STEM subjects. The big focus should be on reaching the other 80% if girls who THINK they dont like STEM subjects...You have to be very creative in how you market your STEM events. Posted on May 27, 2009 at 10:57 am PST From Pete Mickelson - I agree with Mr. Barbuto: LEGO Robotics works well for girls, and here's why.
The word "engineer" literally (from the Latin) means one who uses their ingenuity -- a runner runs, a farmer farms, and an ingen-er ingenutes. Our problem is that someone in England messed up the word so it has no meaning today in (this) English language. So, how could a girl, who just KNOWS that she has plenty of ingenuity, be interested in -- Duh! -- "engineering?"
If you tell any kid that it's all about ingenuity, they all already know that that's their native forte, since they first figured out how to roll over in a crib. Or crawled.
LEGO is a free ride to ingenuity, with no stigmas attached. But it's not alone. There are hundreds of 'activities' that allow an individual (or a team) to take off in free flight and use their ingenuity.
Gurlls, especially! Attract 'em? You'll need to fight 'em off! : )
Posted on May 7, 2009 at 11:16 am PST From Caroline - We run middle school engineering design camps in the summer and have found that girls respond to challenges that help people and boys respond to challenges that solve a real world problem......this has been our experience. When asked to design a tool using Legos Robotics that would help someone, girls designed tools for seniors or people with handicaps and boys tended to design tools that fixed something or made life easier!
Posted on May 7, 2009 at 10:40 am PST From Daniel Barbuto - I have found FIRST Lego League Robotics to attract LOTS of girls into this math & science & technology oriented event. Our own regional championship held here at Dutchess CC in Poughkeepsie, NY had about 5 of the 41 competing teams with ALL girls on the team (including 2 girl scout teams).
The homepage is www.usfirst.org
Posted on May 7, 2009 at 8:42 am PST From Mark - At my current school, all students are required to take 10 credits in tech ed, so female enrollment isn't a problem. At my previous school, I averaged approx. 50% female enrollment. What I did was simple. I went to where the female students were, and made them want to take my classes. I attended sporting events, and other school activities that attracted female students. I talked to them about my class, and got them interested. Very similar to recruiting as a coach for a sports team. You can't just sit idly by, and hope they join.
Posted on May 7, 2009 at 7:19 am PST Post your comments to How Can We Attract More Girls |
