Technology and Gender: Differences in Masculine and Feminine Views
By Cornelia Brunner and Dorothy Bennett

The authors of this article illustrate the differences in masculine and feminine views as well as the uses of technology in an educational setting. Brunner and Bennett state that the masculine view is focused on the machine itself, while the feminine attitude toward technology emphasizes the social function of the machine.
Many educators have observed that boys use computers more willingly than girls. Girls are unsure about technology than boys and often become discouraged or get bored when they have negative technology experiences. They are also less likely than boys to attempt to fix a piece of broken technology such as a computer. When asked to name a “technological nut” they know, every student named a male.
The main difference in the way males and females view technology show that females focus on the communication aspect, while males see technology as a source of power. Females view the computer as a way to facilitate work, while males see the computer as a tool that will do the work for them. The internet is less likely to appeal to young women then to young men, because males favor the ability to send and receive information instantly from a vast resource and to publish one’s own ideas to a large audience.
One classroom implication that arises from this difference in view toward technology is that technology classes are less appealing to young women than young men. As well, young women feel they are not suited for technological careers.
The authors state that “we are at a pivotal moment in the evolution of technology and education.” Technologies are now designed to incorporate three components that create a type of learning environment that is inviting to all students, particularly girls: exploration, interpretation, and communication. Building one’s own meaning, as well as debating and discussing one’s ideas with others, leads to the power of discovery learning. Technology can be used in the classroom environment in a way that includes both genders.

Discussion question: How would you incorporate technology in the classroom to actively engage both genders?

Conditions for Success? Gender in Technology-Intensive Courses in British Columbia Secondary Schools http://educ.ubc.ca/faculty/bryson/cjmste.pdf

Student Views on Technology for Learning
http://www.tomorrow.org/speakup/pdfs/SpeakUpPresident.pdf

Gender Issues in Technology
http://www.suelebeau.com/genderissues.htm


-Leanne

Article: Technology and Gender: Differences in Masculine and Feminine Views
Authors: Cornelia Brunner and Dorothy Bennett

Cornelia Brunner and Dorothy Bennett, authors of the article ‘Technology and Gender: Differences in Masculine and Feminine Views’ present a comprehensive and detailed survey of both male and female attitudes and approaches towards technology, as well as the implications that these gender specific preferences have on the use of technology in the classroom . The differences between the two genders are made clear as Brunner and Bennett state that overall, “the feminine attitude towards technology looks right through the machine to its social function, while the masculine view is more focused on the machine itself.”
The authors question why this difference exists and through their extensive research conclude that most educators agree that “boys use computers more readily than girls,” approach technology as a whole more readily, and are more “positive” and “excited” about their technological experiences. Girls, on the other hand, are more “ambivalent” about technology than boys, tend to become “bored” when they encounter negative technology experiences, and finally, are less likely to “fix a broken piece of technology” when encountered.
Brunner and Bennett ponder why these differences exist, and after conducting several studies have concluded that it is centered on the idea that females view technology as a communication medium and a way to facilitate work, where the masculine attitude towards technology is that it is a source of “power” and it is appealing because it “increases human command and control.”
The article concludes with a brief discussion of the implications of the aforementioned gender discrepancies regarding technology, and offers suggestions regarding how technology can be used in the classroom to appeal to both male and female interests and attitude. For example, they suggest that assignments should be carefully created to “reflect the interests” of both boys and girls and how it has become much easier to design technologies that “embrace different ways of knowing” which, in turn, “invite[s] diverse learners to express and develop multiple points of view.”

Question: What are your personal experiences with technology? Do they support or contradict the findings presented by Brunner and Bennett?

Additional Links:

Gender Differences in Computer Technology Achievement: http://www.ncsu.edu/meridian/sum2002/gender/

The Technological Gender Gap: Evidence and Recommendations for Educators and Computer-Based Instruction Designers:
http://www.arielpcs.com/resources/articles/etrd.shtml

Computers in the Classroom: What is the Effect on the Gender Gap?http://cse.stanford.edu/class/cs201/Projects/gender-gap-in-education/page23.htm

- Trish