Action and Intention: Considering the Relationship between Educational Software and Gendered Career Interests

Abstract

Educational software can be a valuable tool for teaching and learning at the pre-college level, where the foundation is laid for entry into technology-related fields like computer science and engineering. Like all technology, the promise of educational software to advance learning and spark career interest in these areas also comes with the potential for unintended and unwanted consequences. One of these consequences is gendered outcomes in learning and career interest. Oversight of gender issues in the design and application of educational software, as well as the way it used by teachers in the classroom, can result in technology-based educational experiences that are more appealing to boys than girls, and that ultimately reinforce the gender imbalance in science and technology majors. As a first step toward understanding how educational software design and teacher implementation can achieve and promote gender balance, this paper brings together research from education, sociology, psychology, and computing to explore the interaction between gender and technology education.