Gender and Information Technology

Abstract

This chapter presents an overview of initiatives that address issues concerning a gender-based digital divide. This divide is very different in the developing as compared to the developed world: In the developing world, key issues are access to schooling for females, gender segregation and restrictions of courses; the concern is to ensure that girls and women are not further marginalized by ITs. In the developed world, the focus is how to increase female participation in IT related courses (and occupations), and to counter negative attitudes women may have to ITs. In both settings educational interventions include: a range of “female only” resources such as clubs; increasing exposure to positive female role models in IT related fields; and modifying pedagogical practices to accommodate gender differences in learning styles. It is clear that more research is needed since many projects are either not evaluated or results are not generalizable. Nevertheless, there are several examples of innovative intervention practices.