It has always struck me that boys and girls interact differently with ICT in the classroom. Having worked in co-educational and boys’ schools, I have noticed that girls tend to work collaboratively and creatively whilst boys tend to excitedly explore. The differences identified that exist between genders are, of course, generalisations. However, it is worth considering, given the shift that education is experiencing in relation to technology, as well as the current focus on the performance levels of boys and girls in the classroom.

A report by Becta titled ‘How do boys and girls differ in their use of ICT?’ acknowledges the findings embedded in research literature. It makes suggestions as to how differences are manifested and their implications for education. The following summary of key points, taken directly from the report, is pertinent to us as teachers as we increasingly engage the use of ICT in our classrooms.

  • The use of ICT in education improves the motivation and attainment of both girls and boys, though the increases are more marked for boys than girls.
  • There are few significant differences in girls’ access to and use of technology within schools, but at home the differences are more marked: girls have lower levels of access at home compared with boys, and generally use ICT less.  Girls use ICT more for school work, whereas boys use it more for leisure purposes.  A large proportion of this difference can be accounted for by boys’ greater use of computer/console games.
  • There is evidence to suggest that socio-economic background is more a factor for girls’ access to and use of ICT than it is for boys.
  • Girls are more dependent than boys on school for their access to ICT and for guidance on how to use it.  Boys have greater experience of using ICT in the home, but the structured use of ICT girls encounter within school goes some way towards redressing the balance.
  • Girls prefer social and creative uses of ICT.  They like to work collaboratively and enjoy using technology to learn, in both formal and informal contexts.  In the home, online social networking has become an extremely popular for girls.
  • Although there is little evidence that girls are less skilled than boys in the use of ICT (indeed, in some areas they show greater skill), girls generally feel less confident in their ability to use technology.
  • There is no evidence to suggest that ICT intrinsically suits boys better than girls; there is, however, compelling evidence that the competitive, skill-based, non-collaborative nature of many computer games (even educational ones) is de-motivating for girls.
  • Whereas boys are interested in technology for its own sake, girls see ICT as a means of pursuing their interests and furthering their learning.  This may help to explain the lower number of females studying ICT or following a career in technology, but it can also mean that girls’ use of ICT is more productive in terms of learning gains.
  • Overall, the evidence suggests that girls’ interest in ICT decreases as they progress through school.
  • Gender stereotypes in relation to at least some aspects of technology can have a significant impact on girls’ attitudes towards ICT.  These stereotypes begin at an early age with parents and are reinforced by peers, the media and, in some instances, teachers as girls get older.  The idea that ICT is the domain of boys is particularly strong in relation to games and programming.
  • The context in which girls use ICT in school is crucial to realising the benefits of technology: girls do less well when working together with boys, possibly as a result of their own and boys’ stereotypical views of technology.
  • Mobile phones are more popular and more heavily used by girls than boys.
  • Girls are more likely to both suffer from and engage in cyber-bullying than boys.
  • Recent trends in ICT may prove particularly beneficial to girls: increasing use of social and collaborative technologies, a growing emphasis on ICT integration within subjects, and a move towards narrative and character-based games could mean that technology, both at school and at home, is increasingly aligned with girls’ interests and preferences.

 

The whole article can be found on the following website:

http://partners.becta.org.uk/index.php?section=rh&catcode=_re_rp_02&rid=15978

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Beyond Chalk Blog