Getting Girls Into Programming, One Children’s Book At A Time

http://techcrunch.com/2014/02/03/liukas-hello-ruby/

by ibsathish • 12 years ago

7 19 12 years ago

sdegutis9• 12 years ago

There are just not enough women in the pipeline starting from as early as K-12 schools.

This is the statement that loses me. The author seems to state it as if it's a given. But who is deciding there "aren't enough"? What is this supposedly ideal number ("enough") based on? Serious question.

ForHackernews• 12 years ago

I think the assumption is that, all else being equal, we would see a roughly 50/50 split between men and women in technology. In some countries (particularly non-Western cultures, but also in some Scandinavian nations) the gender ratios in science and technology are more balanced.

sdegutis9• 12 years ago

I guess that seems intuitive at first glance. But I doubt that there really is a natural 50% split in the different gender's inclinations to certain tasks. It feels to me like a naive bias towards a round number.

xacaxulu• 12 years ago

Agreed. What about all the other professions where women are under represented. I don't see a lot of Teach Girls Construction or Get Girls Sniping in Afghanistan. And I don't mean that in a snarky way. The Soviets actually found that female snipers were superior due to steady hands, better perception at distance and a significantly lower incidence of colour blindess. They even had a complete female sniper platoon. The inverse of this is interesting too. You don't see anyone saying "There aren't enough men in healthcare" even though it's roughly 80% female. Women are a majority in universities, advertising, human resources and insurance along with a slew of other awesome fields. This imagined lack of opportunity is well intentioned but ultimately like 40 years too late and at this point in time, without merit. If anything needs to be addressed with regards to women's careers, it's that they don't get paid the same as men and that's a real problem. Get worked up about pay parity first. People self select for what THEY WANT to do. Stop blasting your personal definition of equality onto cognizant humans with phrases like "there just aren't enough".

sdegutis9• 12 years ago

The argument you may hear in response is that many don't have an opportunity to self-select because of gender biases which prevent them from being aware that they have the power to.

gametheoretic• 12 years ago

Not a direct article comment:

I'm asking this to anyone who supports the activist approach to the women in tech problem. a) If you had to put a number on it, what would you deem the percentage chance that this school of thought is actually wrong, and b) what are the consequences if it is?

anologwintermut• 12 years ago

While not gender specific: I think this[1] is the worst case possible consequence of focusing on getting 5 - 7 year olds of any gender involved in programing: it turns into the awful system that is math education many countries.

    A musician wakes from a terrible nightmare. In his dream he finds    
    himself in a society where music education has been made mandatory. 
   "We are helping our students become more competitive in an increasingly 
    sound-filled world." Educators, school systems, and the state are put 
    in charge of this vital project. Studies are commissioned, committees 
    are formed, and decisions are made — all without the advice or 
    participation of a single working musician or composer.
    ...

[1]http://www.maa.org/sites/default/files/pdf/devlin/LockhartsL...

Getting Girls Into Programming, One Children’s Book At A Time

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