----

##  Women and Minorities in High-Tech Careers. ERIC Digest No. 226.              

Women and minorities are underrepresented in technology-related                 careers. Lack of access, level of math and science achievement, and             emotional and social attitudes about computer capabilities may be               some of the factors that cause women and minorities to avoid                    high-tech careers. According to the American Association of                     University Women, the number of women graduating in computer                    sciences and information technology is decreasing despite the                   increased need for workers in these areas (Friedman 2000). The                  Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that only 7.2 percent of all                 computer scientists are African American and 2.6 percent                        Hispanic (Bruno 1997). Because employment in today's workplace                  requires increasingly sophisticated technological skills, educators             must find ways to recruit and retain all types of students in math,             science, and technology (MST) courses. This Digest presents a number            of ways that schools and teachers can attract women and minorities              to high-tech careers and prepare them for work. ATTRACTING WOMEN              AND MINORITIESA common reason that young people become attracted            to a career field is that the career appeals to their intellect and             emotions: they are intellectually aware of the benefits of the work             and emotionally committed to the work because of its personal                   relevance to their lives. Following are four strategies for                     initiating and sustaining students' intellectual and emotional                  interest in pursuing a career in technology. 
Connect Technology to            Their Interests 
Integrating Technology into a variety of subject              areas--e.g., music, history, art, and science--can be a stimulus for            learning. Not only can it expand students' knowledge of technology              concepts, but it can also engage students in the learning process by            including opportunities for problem solving and creative thinking               regarding technology use ("Girls Missing Out" 2000). Hands-on                   applications and reality-based assignments are activities that can              be highly motivational as they enable students to learn technology              in the context of its real-world application (Smith                             2000). 
Designing curriculum that is attentive and responsive to               diverse cultural orientations can also be a motivator when                      introducing technology. Harrington (1998) notes that many African               Americans are drawn to careers that offer direct service to their               communities--such as education, social work, medicine, law, and                 religion. For technology to be appealing to people of all cultures,             educators must be able to connect technology-related careers to                 cultural values. 
Gaming can be used to stimulate student interest             in technology when the games are free of gender bias and designed to            appeal to both sexes. Because games are viewed as "play," they can              engage students in problem solving in a relaxed atmosphere, thus                helping students to develop skills without fear of risk taking.                 Low-threat, high-challenge play and cognitive activities have proven            to be motivational influences for learning. 
Change Social                     Attitudes 
According to the National Science Foundation, the number            of females receiving bachelor's degrees in computer science dropped             from 40% to 27.5% between 1984 and 1996 (Radcliff 1999). One factor             contributing to this downturn may be that girls view people who work            in technology as having solitary jobs that involve little                       interaction with other people. To change social attitudes regarding             women's needs and abilities regarding technology, El Paso Community             College established the Women in Technology (WIT) program. The WIT              program offered technical education services for women and engaged              in community outreach efforts, which included female mentors from               the community. After 10 years in operation, female enrollment in                technical fields at El Paso Community College has more than                     doubled (DiBenedetto 1999). 
Some educators feel that schools have             unknowingly contributed to the limited enrollment of minorities in              classes that would prepare them for high-tech careers. Ramirez,                 Laurel, and Rodriguez-Aguilar (1999) advocate the use of                        intervention activities in mathematics and science in the elementary            and middle grades. Harrington (1998) suggests that career counselors            become more open to the technological potential of minorities,                  ensuring that they do not allow prejudicial thinking to keep them               from offering appropriate career guidance. 
Involve                            Business 
Businesses have a vested interest in wanting to help                 students develop the technological skills required for work in this             century. They need workers who can complete complex tasks by using              these skills as well as problem solving and critical thinking. As a             result, many businesses are offering incentives to young women and              minority students. Intel Corporation, for example, recently                     established a Computer Clubhouse in cooperation with Boston's Museum            of Science and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Media Lab.             In this after-school program, female and minority youngsters meet               with adult mentors to learn more about computer technology. "Intel              plans to open 100 such clubhouses around the world by 2005" (Bruner             2000, p. 14). Microsoft Corporation, IBM, and AT&T have demonstrated            a commitment to helping Black students become interested in high                tech by promising $101 million in cash and equipment to 39 Black                schools. Initiating the United Negro College Fund drive with this               commitment, the three high-tech companies are hoping to close the               gap that separates minorities from the high-tech                                economy ("Microsoft" 2000). 
Provide Career Information 
"The                 Occupational Outlook Quarterly, which forecasts employment trends               through the year 2005, predicts the demand for computer scientists              and systems analysts will grow by 111 percent between 1992 and                  2005" (Caruso 1997, p. 6). Jobs in these fields offer great                     potential for job security and higher salaries. Unfortunately, many             female and minority students are unaware of these projections,                  especially in the job market for computer engineers, systems                    analysts, and webmasters. However, giving students this information             is meaningless if it is not accompanied by real-world experiences of            observing or talking with people who work in these professions.                 George K. Williams of TRW Systems & Information Technology Group has            been working with the Black Data Processing Associates to help                  bridge the racial divide. Williams said their most effective                    strategy involved "going into the schools and sharing our knowledge             about computer technology while serving as mentors and role                     models" (Alter and Severin 2000, p.49). PREPARING FOR HIGH-TECH               CAREERS"The American Electronics Association finds that the                 total number of degrees awarded in engineering technology declined              16 percent between 1990 and 1996. Of the decreasing number of                   high-tech degrees awarded, foreign nationals received 45 percent of             the PhD's and 32 percent of the master's...the U.S. educational                 system is not adequately preparing our youth for today's information            age economy" (Wolff 1999, pp. 7-8). Following are some steps                    educators can take to improve their methods for preparing women and             minorities for high-tech employment. 
Change Teaching and Learning             Practices 
Collaborative and cooperative learning environments are             effective teaching strategies for technology learning because they              promote learning through social interaction with others. They                   reflect the constructivist learning theory, which contends that true            learning occurs as individuals share their knowledge and interact               with each other in the social environment of its application. The               purpose for learning must extend beyond the classroom and link to               everyday life for the acquired knowledge to have real meaning to the            learner. Collaborative learning practices encourage interdependence             and a sense of shared responsibility, as opposed to individual                  learning, which rewards leadership through dominance (Ramirez et al.            1999). 
Introduce Technology in Middle Grades 
Educators are                  recognizing the importance of involving girls and minorities in                 technologies at an early age, when they are motivated by their own              interests and not influenced by stereotypical views of career                   choices. The Girl Scouts of America show their support of this view             by offering proficiency badges in technology and the Internet for               Brownie, Junior, and Senior levels (Radcliff 1999). As at higher                levels of schooling, the programs at the middle grades should be                engaging and interactive. They should be designed to promote                    creativity, yet provide structure so that students can relate                   information technology to their lives (Alter and Severin                        2000). 
The Brownsville Independent School District has experienced            success in increased minority participation through its school year             and summer programs. Of the district's 40,000 K-12 students, 97                 percent are Hispanic. Teacher training, curriculum reform, policy               analysis, and student activities were introduced "as part of a                  comprehensive plan to prepare and recruit minority students into the            science, mathematics, engineering, and technology pipeline" (Ramirez            et al. 1999, p. 14). A 5-year study of the program found that                   student proficiency in science and mathematics                                  increased (ibid.). 
Provide Mentors and Role Models 
Providing                role models and mentors for female and minority students is another             way to increase their interest in technology careers. In a study of             12 women successfully employed in nontraditional, technology-related            professions, many reported being "influenced by either an                       encouraging male figure within their personal sphere, and/or by a               teacher in the educational sphere" (Smith 2000, p. 4). Many                     participants commented that exposure to a strong female                         technological role model played a significant part in their choosing            MST career paths. 
The Department of Mathematics and Computer                  Science and Office of Multicultural Affairs at Fontbonne College in             Missouri matched eight high-risk first- and second-year students                with alumni mentors as part of a one-credit career management                   course. Evaluation of the effort showed improved academic student               performance  (Newton and Wells-Glover 1999). 
Demonstrate                      Commitment to Equity 
Schools can facilitate gender equity and                 leadership development by employing the following policies (Quilling            1999, p. 72): 
* Selecting software free of gender and ethnic                  bias. 
* Ensuring that computer laboratories are accessible to each            gender, ethnic group, and income level, as well as students with                disabilities. 
* Encouraging the incorporation of technology                   strategies within all sectors of the curriculum. 
* Providing staff            training in technology. 
* Periodically reviewing and revising                 equity policies as necessary. 
These strategies provide structured             norms that emphasize equity in technology usage and foster                      relationships that help students achieve their career                           goals (ibid.). CONCLUSIONResearch has shown that many of the              barriers to science, mathematics, engineering, and technology                   careers may be overcome by effective school practices. Teaching and             learning practices, early intervention programs, and mentoring are              just some of the ways schools can foster student participation in               high-tech programs and careers. Eliminating, or at least reducing,              the social and educational factors that have created barriers to                high-tech careers can help educators to move new generations of                 female and minority students into the high-tech careers in which                they have been underrepresented. REFERENCESAlter, A. E., and              Severin, M. "Moving beyond the Racial Ravine." COMPUTERWORLD 34, no.            5 (January 31, 2000): 49. 
Bruner, R. "Minority Gains Essential to             U.S. Technology Future." ELECTRONIC NEWS 46, no. 30 (July 24, 2000):            10-14. 
Bruno, C. "Diversity Disconnect." NETWORK WORLD 14, no.                40 (October 6, 1997): 1, 93, 96, 98, 100. 
Caruso, A. "High-Tech               Careers." CAREER WORLD 25, no. 7 (April-May 1997):                              6-11. 
DiBenedetto, V. EL PASO COMMUNITY COLLEGE WOMEN IN                      TECHNOLOGY END OF THE YEAR REPORT, 1998-1999. El Paso, TX: El Paso              Community College, 1999. (ED 435 429) 
Friedman, M. "Women Take to             Internet While Avoiding IT." COMPUTING CANADA 26, no. 18 (September             1, 2000): 9. 
"Girls Missing Out on High-Tech Careers." WORKLIFE               REPORT 12, no. 3 (2000): 12. 
Harrington, S. G. "The Factors                   Affecting the Career Choices of African Americans and Three Career              Counseling Suggestions." Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of               the Mid-South Educational Research Association, New Orleans, LA,                November 4-6, 1998. (ED 438 487) 
"Microsoft, IBM, AT&T Announce               Technology Gifts for Black Colleges." JET 97, no. 16 (March 27,                 2000): 14. 
Newton, E., and Wells-Glover, L. "Mentors for                      Undergraduates in Technical Disciplines." JOURNAL OF COLLEGE STUDENT            RETENTION 1, no. 4 (1999): 311-21. 
Quilling, J. I. "Gender,                   Technology, and Leadership Development." JOURNAL OF FAMILY AND                  CONSUMER SCIENCES 91, no. 3 (1999): 70-75. 
Radcliff, D. "Champions            of Women in Technology." COMPUTERWORLD 33, no. 3 (January 18, 1999):            46-48. 
Ramirez, R., Jr.; Laurel, E. G.; and Rodriguez-Aguilar,                C. "'Como que No Puedo!' Strategies for the Recruitment and                     Retention of Hispanic Females into Mathematics and Science                      Post-Secondary Programs and Careers." Paper presented at the                    National Association for Research in Science Teaching, Boston, MA,              March 1999. (ED 444 822) 
Smith, L. B. "The Socialization of                   Females with Regard to a Technology-Related Career." MERIDIAN: A                MIDDLE SCHOOL COMPUTER TECHNOLOGIES JOURNAL 3, no. 2 (Summer 2000).             http://www.ncsu.edu/meridian/sum2000/career/ 
Wolff, M. F. "S&E                Degrees to Women Up, But Down Nationally." RESEARCH TECHNOLOGY                  MANAGEMENT 42, no. 6 (November-December 1999): 7-8. 
----- 
This              project has been funded at least in part with Federal funds from the            U.S. Department of Education under Contract No. ED-99-CO-0013. The              content of this publication does not necessarily reflect the views              or policies of the U.S. Department of Education nor does mention of             trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement            by the U.S. Government. Digests may be freely reproduced and are                available at ericacve. org/fulltext.asp.                                     **Title:** Women and Minorities in High-Tech Careers. ERIC Digest No. 226.              **Document Type:** Information Analyses---ERIC Information Analysis Products (IAPs) (071); Information Analyses---ERIC Digests (Selected) in Full Text (073); **Available From:** For full text: http://www.ericacve.org/fulltext.asp.                         **Descriptors:** Attitude Change,  Career Education, Change Strategies, Community                Colleges, Computer Attitudes,  Education Work Relationship,                     Educational Change, Educational Environment, Educational Policy,                Educational Technology, Elementary Secondary Education, Employed                Women, Employment Patterns, Equal Education, Information Needs, Job             Training, Leadership, Literature Reviews,  Minority Groups, Needs               Assessment,  Nontraditional Occupations, Recruitment, Role Models,              Sex Fairness,  Technical Occupations, Technological Advancement,                Trend Analysis, Two Year Colleges, Vocational Education,  Womens                Education                                                                    **Identifiers:** ERIC Digests                                                                 
###
[Return to ERIC Digest Search Page]