This discussion spans 4 days and is due before midnight on Thursday of week 3.

Learning outcomes

Students will be able to 1) discuss feminist theory, women's choices, race and cultural issues, and barriers related to gender and technology, 2) research current trends of women and technology of different cultures/countries, 3) analyze relationships among science, technology, and society using critical perspectives or examples from historical, political, or economic disciplines, 4) analyze the role of science and technology in shaping diverse fields of study over time, 5) articulate in writing a critical perspective on issues involving science, technology, and society using evidence as support.

Introduction

In August of 2017, a Google employee published a manifesto that cause global outrage by the left- and right-leaning citizens of the world. He was fired for posting his opinions about diversity and restarted tired conversations about gender and race in the high-tech industry. His claims are substantiated and at the same time refuted by experts who study gender biology and gender socialization. They bring up historical events that have yet to be resolved and remind us that more women and people of diverse populations are still not welcome in Tech even though the industry says they are.

Why do some men get so angry about women working in Computer Science? (Yes, it's a thing...with a name!) What hiring practices are now being used to include more women in STEAM fields? Has technology improved or exacerbated unequal divisions of labor and pay in the workplace? What laws are in place to help or hinder gender equity? How are countries, schools, businesses, and families dealing with gender stereotyping and equality?

1. On Monday, start reading and viewing.

After listening to the audio above, read/view at least the three related scholarly and popular articles:

Why the anti-diversity Google 'manifesto' misses the point

Anna Maria Tremonti, CBC's The Current

Google staffer's hostility to affirmative action sparks furious backlash

Molly Redden and Nicola Davis. The Guardian, 2017. ‘Manifesto’ arguing against promotion of race and gender diversity attributes lack of women in tech to ‘biological causes’

Google Fired and Disciplined Employees for Speaking Out about Diversity

Kate Conger, Gizmodo, 2018.

Actually, Google manifesto writer, the number of women in tech is declining — thanks to guys like you

Alessandra Maldonado, Salon, 2017.

Brianna Wu vs. the Gamergate Troll Army

David Whitford, 2015. Inc. Wu hit with death threats after publishing games made by and for women.

Double Jeopardy? Gender Bias Against Women of Color in Science

Dr. Joan C. Williams, et el. 2017. Emory University, Center for WorkLife Law at UC Hastings combines in-depth interviews of 60 women of color in STEM finds pervasive gender bias.

Expectations of brilliance underlie gender distributions across academic disciplines

Sarah-Jane Leslie, et el. University of Illinois 2017.

United Nations Gender Mainstreaming program

Since 1997 the Assistant Secretary-General and Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on Gender Issues and the Advancement of Women has been charged with supporting and overseeing the implementation of the policy mandates.

Then search for and listen to/read a few popular or other scholarly articles, podcasts, and videos. In a new tab, add various search phrases to a Google, Bing, or Yahoo search bar to locate articles. Switch to the Scholar, News, Videos, and Images channels to see different results.

gender mainstreaming

Neuroscience of sex differences

gender laws

women fleeing technology fields

brogramming

manterrupting

GamerGate

double jeopardy

prove-it-again

feminist computing

hackathons for women

WITI Women in Technology International

SWE The Society of Women Engineers

and your own search phrases

2. By Wednesday, start discussing the readings. (4 points)

In the Canvas Discussion area:

1. Make a new thread titled with a question from the weeks' readings that you found most intriguing.
2. In 400 words or more, recap the scholarly and popular articles you read.
   1. Write in a text editor like Word or Google Docs.
   2. Cite sources using embedded hyperlinks in the Titles of Articles you mention so that readers can quickly open them in a new browser tab.
   3. Mention support for your ideas, provide solutions, and note personal experiences.
      • Keep personal anecdotes to a minimum; the reading recap is key here.
      • I want to hear what you learned, not necessarily what you already know.

3. By midnight on Thursday, reply to three others' threads. (4 points)

1. Glance through all the responses.
2. Respond to at least three others' threads (but not more than 5).
   • Challenge the opinions of others but back them up with research.
     • Research means you searched for and found other articles that support your ideas. Use the search phrases provided in step 1.
     • Writing means you wrote in your own words. Do not paste in large passages of others' writings.
   • Note which sources you found that support or contradict the ideas presented.
   • Cite sources using embedded hyperlinks in the Titles of Articles.

This section of the Cultural Research project spans 7 days and is due before midnight on Sunday of week 3.

Learning outcomes

During the next 4 weeks, students will write a 2000+ word research paper which 1) Summarizes the major issues, statistics, and historical significance of technology developed and/or used by women; 2) Discusses feminist theory, women's choices, race and cultural issues, and barriers related to gender and technology; 3) Presents history and current trends of women and technology of different cultures/countries; 4) Analyzes relationships among science, technology, and society using critical perspectives or examples from historical, political, or economic disciplines. This writing will be added to their Wordpress blog.

Introduction

What tools inspire you? Did a woman invent it? Did history record this woman's contribution? Did someone else take the credit for it (perhaps a man)? How was this woman educated? Who helped encourage her? What was happening with technology during this time period in her culture? How has her invention evolved over time?

These questions can help you get started researching and choosing either an historical or modern female technologist, inventor, or scientist from another country/culture to focus on.

Your research, when published online, can add to the sometimes skimpy amount of information available about women in history. You will find that some resources are perhaps inaccurate or out of date. With that in mind, write the Cultural Research project with quality content so that others can benefit from the knowledge.

The project involves researching how women have used and are now using technology in another country/culture. You will choose an historical or modern figure to focus on and cite the historical significance and trends. You'll post your research, interviews, data, and related media in your website Pages.

Scoring Criteria

This project will be scored by the following criteria:

• Research and your original writing on an historical or modern female technologist from another country/culture is included.
  • How women in that culture and time period use(d) technology is discussed. (8 points)
    • General description of the culture in that era.
    • What tools, devices, appliances, and machines were commonly used by women in that culture and era?
  • Interpretations, comparisons, and conclusions of trends are included. (8 points)
    • Statistics related to gender and Education and Business/industry in the culture and era.
    • How have the numbers changed and what was their influence?
  • Biographical details (4 points)
    • Childhood influences and education
    • Work experiences
  • Technology details (8 points)
    • What tools and methods did this woman employ in her research and inventions?
    • Provide details and define terms to help a lay audience understand the complexities of the technology.
  • Citations follow standards.
    • Historical significance and trends are cited in captions or inline following (Author year) format. (1 point)
    • Text passages are cited inline following (Author year) format. (1 point)
    • Bibliography includes all sources used. Each entry must include author name, title, publisher, year, and URL (1 point)
    • Plagiarism will not be tolerated. Write in your own words. Quote only a few sentences of others' writings.
  • Links embedded in the inline citations and bibliography when applicable. (2 point)
• Material is presented online in a multi-page web site. (3 points)
  • Navigation to each page is included on each page. (1 point)
  • Media include descriptive captions. (1 point)
  • Media include proper copyright statements. (1 point)
  • Images are optimized for fast downloading. (1 point)

Instructions

3.1 Read Past Projects.

Click on each of these excellent projects (below) to read them and get a sense of the kinds of content you'll be researching, related to the culture, history, and technology of your chosen topic. (Note that most of them are missing the required subheadlines.)

• 
  • Dr. Katherine Burr Blodgett, Heather Hunt 2019.
• 
  • Dr. Tessy Thomas, Karley Devens 2018.
• 
  • Hedy Lamarr, Julianna Morris 2017.
• 
  • Beatrice Tilly Shilling, Meghan King 2017.
• 
  • Dr. Maria Telkes: Solar Technologist, Audrina Hahn. 2017.
• 
  • Anh Nguyet Duong, Vietnamese Chemical Engineer. Carah Kittson 2016.
• 
  • Dr. Lise Meitner, Austrian Nuclear Scientist. Britani Halsey, 2016.
• 
  • Josephine Garis-Cochrane. From socialite to inventor of the dishwasher. Wil Dewart, 2012.

 These topics are off limits for this project   so that you may focus on something new.

3.2 Explore topic ideas.

Focus your exploration on women whose technology (not biology or ecology), culture, and time period interests you. For this project, you will choose a topic person whose culture is different from yours. Consider the continental, governmental, racial, and religious differences from your native culture.

1. Write down keywords/key phrases that describe what you are interested in. For example:
   • African American women astronauts
   • Chinese women computer scientists
   • Iranian Women Engineers
   • British Game Designers
   • Indian energy engineers
   
   
2. Explore the Women Role Models Project site for related video interviews for the country and field you chose above. You can also read through the Women Role Models Project Facebook feed.
      
   
   
3. If you found someone you are interested in researching, continue to step 3.3.4.
   
4. If not, explore these other resources to help you find a female technologist from a culture other than your own.
   • Women TechMakers
   • Scientista
   • YouTube (Women Scientists category)
   • TED Women in Tech
   • Inventors, trailblazers...2013
   • Anita Borg Institute's YouTube channel
   • Women in STEAM
   • DC's Top 50 Women in Tech 2016
   • Huffington Post's Women in Tech
   • OSU College of Engineering Faculty Directory
   • Society of Women Engineers

 

3.3 Blog: declare a topic. (5 points)

By the end of chapter 3 choose one woman to highlight for the remainder of your research.

In your Wordpress site, declare your topic:

1. Login to your Wordpress site and click the My Site button to get to the Dashboard.
2. Click on the Blog Posts Add button.
   • Title the Post to briefly describe the topic.
   • Write a short paragraph about your topic. Who is she? Where is she from and how does her culture differ from yours? What is her technology? When did she live? Write about the possibility of interviewing the woman if she is still living.
   • In another paragraph write which of the research sources listed in step 3.2 were the most helpful for locating a topic.
   • In another paragraph describe one or more Example Projects from step 3.1. What did you learn about how the projects are organized, how much writing is required, and how citations are provided?
   • Check grammar and spelling.
   • Click the Category button and choose the Gender & Technology.
   • Click the Publish button.
   • Copy the URL provided so you can submit it in the next step.
     

3.4 Submit the URL to your new post.

1. View your site live (not from the Dashboard).
2. Select the URL for your home page or your new Post.
3. Paste the URL into the Canvas assignment link for Chapter 3.

3.5 Ask for help to keep from wasting too much time.

person_pin

I am here to help.

• Please email the instructor for technical support related to your project.
• If you suspect Wordpress has a glitch then close the browser and restart it again. Log back into Wordpress.
  • If you're still having problems, restart your machine.
  • If you're still having Wordpress problems, then use the Help tab in the Dashboard to find solutions.