Getting girls engaged in the digital world

ABOUT EUROPEAN SCHOOLNETNetwork of 30 European Ministries of Education, based in Brussels. Not-for-profit organisation, aiming to bring innovation in teaching and learning to: Ministries of Education, schools, teachers, researchers and industry partners. European Schoolnet pledges to:- Support schools in achieving effective use of ICT in teaching and learning- Improve and raise the quality of education in Europe- Promote the European dimension in educationTransform teaching and learning processes, using ICT as a force for improvement.

Is coding the new literacy? In the past, people hired scribes to

write on their behalf, just as we hire developers to create computer

programs.

High youth unemployment + increasing demand for IT-skilled professionals

+ need for more innovation in Europe: can getting more girls (and boys) into IT

help bridge the gap?

WHY GIRLS AREN’T ATTRACTED TO TECH SECTOR: OUR STUDYStudied attitudes and perceptions of technology and tech jobs in NL, PL, FR, UK & IT, including girls, boys, parents and teachers.

Girls interested in IT but not IT jobs. Unrealistic perception of jobs: lack creativity, opportunities for travel, inflexible, anti-social, don’t relate to real world problems

Gender stereotypes

Negative impact of parents, teachers, role

models

Lack of confidence in STEM skills

WHAT WORKS?

Involvement in education-industry joint programs increases interest in STEM (inc. IT) jobs by 20%

Engaging girls early before gender stereotypes set in

Developing engaging teaching and learning approaches in computer science – not just digital literacy

Research evidence suggests solutions

HOW TO MAKE IT HAPPEN?

Measurable multi-

stakeholder programs

Computer science in

the curriculum

Teacher training

Informal education

inGenious school in Croatia, 2013

Secondary school students building an electronic dice

Hands on IT activity jointly developed with Philips

Kodu Kup, UK, 2013Students developing games using a

simplified programming tool.

Cisco Girls in ICT Job Day, 2014Cyberteam young apprentices

at Cisco in Berlin as part of e-Skills 2014

inGenious Teacher Summer School in Croatia, 2013

160 teachers getting training and sharing best practice on integrating industry

examples in STEM teaching

OUR PARTNERS IN TECH

WANT TO KNOW MORE?

Visit www.europeanschoolnet.org Contact me at alexa.joyce@eun.org