The Digital Divide: Bridging the Gender Gap

By:
Danika Rockett
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For more than a decade, research has indicated that women are at a disadvantage compared to men in terms of computer usage, both in the workplace and in educational settings. Some researchers believe that this gender gap aspect of the digital divide is primarily a result of computer anxiety, which in turn is a result of socialization patterns. In one recent study, elementary students (both males and females from various socio-economic backgrounds) indicated through drawings and recorded conversations that white males almost always came to mind when asked to depict their perception of a competent computer user. Females, particularly those from lower socio-economic backgrounds and from families with low levels of parental education, continue to demonstrate lower levels of computer competency throughout all levels of education, and access to computers for these women is part of the problem. With information and communication technology becoming an integral part of higher education, this can present a serious problem for women in the university setting.Moreover, this dilemma affects not only students but also faculty, as research shows that female faculty members are less likely than are their male counterparts to embrace instructional technologies. Because computer anxieties start quite early, even at the elementary school level, we need to begin instilling computer confidence in girls at an early age if this area of the digital divide is to be bridged. A number of solutions have been proposed, including same-sex computer classes. These solutions will be a major focus of this paper.


Keywords: Gender, Digital Divide, Computer Anxiety
Stream: Learning, Education, Training
Presentation Type: 30 minute Paper Presentation in English
Paper: A paper has not yet been submitted.

Danika Rockett

Adjunct Professor of English; Doctoral Student, Language, Literacy, and Culture
English, Unversity of Maryland Baltimore County
Baltimore, Maryland, UNITED STATES

For the past year, Danika has taught writing courses for the University of Baltimore (UB). She is currently teaching two sections of freshman composition here at UMBC, and she is also teaching a writing course via the Web for UB. Danika’s professional life so far has been devoted mostly to teaching composition. She worked as a writing center tutor while working toward her M.A., and then she began teaching classes full time. Danika moved to Baltimore from Louisiana in 2004 to work as a copy editor for a local not-for-profit organization, but her love of teaching led her back to the classroom only nine months later. Her students tended to be professionals who were attending school part time while maintaining their careers, so Danika realized that many students could benefit from online writing courses and perhaps from online writing centers. Danika plans to study aspects of the online classroom and the possibility of implementing an online university writing center. Because of experiences in the classroom, Danika is also interested in examining writing in English as a Second Language in order to better serve her international students.

Ref: D07P0319