By Lara Warren

WHILE IT MAY BE TRUE THAT LITTLE GIRLS ARE MADE OF SUGAR AND SPICE AND EVERYTHING NICE, they might not be developing skills vital to the working world of tomorrow: computer skills.

In a world that is rapidly becoming increasingly dependent on technology, a new study has reported that some unfavorable differences between girls and boys are developing.

The gender gap in math and science achievement has narrowed over the past six years, but a new gap in technology has developed, according to the study released by the American Association of University Women (AAUW). Released in October, the study focused on girls in public schools, ages 6 through 18.

Technology is the new “boys club” in our nation’s public schools. While boys use computers to program and problem solve, girls tend to use computers word processing-related tasks—the 1990s version of typing.

Dr. JoAnn Lan, assistant professor in education technology and director of academic computing and technology for the school of education at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, says that, in her own experience as an educator, she has found that the study’s findings are generally true.

“It’s true that there are gaps between boys and girls when it comes to technology,” Lan says. “In general, more boys use computers than girls.” Yet among boys and girls using computers regularly, Lan says there is not a noticeable difference in skill levels between the genders. “And in my professional interaction with educators,” Lan says, “I find that the biggest advocates of computer use tend to be female.”

Area schools are taking steps to narrow the technology gender gap. At Mountain Brook Elementary School, all students are required to spend equal time on computers, with classes spending a set time in computer labs each week. The Mountain Brook City Schools Technology Scope and Sequence, a committee of teachers, administrators and parents, was developed to help teachers prepare students to master technological applications. Each grade has its own specific goals ranging from basic computer management skills to creating detailed databases and spreadsheets.

Lydia Patrick, technology coordinator for Mountain Brook Elementary School, believes that thism method of computer instruction has kept the technology gap between genders low at her school.

“I have not noticed any real difference between the sexes when it comes to computer skills,” she says. “There are certainly no differences in the ways boys and girls are taught here. They all go into the computer lab together; they are taught the same things. We don’t use gender-specific software.”

Many children would choose gender-specific software if they had the choice, Patrick thinks. But as far as technology skills go, the girls in her class believe that they are on equal footing with the boys.

“I think that girls and boys are equal because we all have to know the same stuff,” says one forth-grade girl in her class. “But girls don’t think much about Hot Wheels, and boys don’t think about Barbies.”

A male classmate agrees. “I think that boys and girls are both equal at the computer,” he says. “Some are better than others, but that doesn’t mean that boys are better, or girls are better.”

Studies have shown that the gender gap is more apparent among older adolescents. Before adolescence, boys and girls are more alike both personally and academically. As children grow older, however, many tend to identify more with the culturally accepted traits and interests characteristic of their gender.

“The differences between genders tend to begin appearing in junior high,” says Judy Dyess, a third-grade teacher at Mountain Brook Elementary. “Here at the elementary-school level, we usually don’t see too many differences between the sexes, because their activities here are not gender-specific. The difference might be more age-specific than gender specific.”

The AAUW study—and amalgamation of data, research reports, journal articles and statistics prepared by the American Institutes for Research—reported that as students enter high school, a gender gap in science and technology is evident, albeit narrowing in recent years. While high school boys and girls generally take a similar number of science courses, boys are more likely than girls to take all three core science courses—biology, chemistry and physics. And while boys often take fewer English courses, girls take fewer computer science and computer design courses. This has many educators concerned that girls will not develop the skills needed to survive in a technology driven work world.

“We need to encourage girls to use computers more,” Lan says. “We know that there are real differences between the genders. This does not mean that one sex is inferoror, just different. The things they’re interested in have always been, and always will be, different.”

Boys typically are drawn to more assertive, physical activities, she says. This explains why so many boys enjoy physical—at times violent—computer game themes. A majority of computer software out today is oriented toward that type of activity so in turn, is more often boys who are drawn to the games. However, many software manufacturers, such as Purple Moon, have begun developing software tailored for girls.

“We don’t want to push girls to do things that boys like because that tells them that the things they enjoy, such as communicating and building social relationships, aren’t good enough,” Lan says. “We do not want to send the message to girls that their interests are not valid. Girls are often more verbal, and they like to communicate. I don’t think that should be viewed as a lower-level skill.”

Patrick believes that using non-gender specific software solves that problem.

“My advice to parents is to find software that is both educational and interactive,” she says. As mother to three, she says that she does not purchase gender-specific programs.

“Personally I wouldn’t put money into them,” she says. “Even though my daughter is absolutely begging me for a Barbie program.”

Child Times of Alabama, January 1999