Ending the Digital Gender Divide. Are Coding Clubs the Solution?

Abstract

catalaHi ha una preocupacio compartida entre paisos desenvolupats i en vies de desenvolupament respecte a les baixes taxes de dones en arees STEM (ciencia, tecnologia, enginyeria i matematiques). En aquest context, una de les estrategies mes frequents es el desenvolupament de tallers per aprendre a programar i de cursos amb activitats relacionades amb disciplines STEM, amb la finalitat d’augmentar la presencia de dones en aquestes arees. L’objectiu principal d’aquest article no es tan sols proporcionar una descripcio dels programes que donen suport a la inclusio de les nenes en la ciencia, sino tambe fer-ne una analisi critica sobre el disseny i la implementacio. Aquesta investigacio utilitza la tecnica d’analisi de contingut, una tecnica que permet fer inferencies valides i replicables des dels textos. La mostra estadistica de la metodologia prove d’una revisio exhaustiva de 64 programes anunciats en linia que tenen l’objectiu de donar suport a la incorporacio de nenes i dones en les disciplines STEM, sobretot en les tecnologies de la informacio. Els resultats finals demostren que, tot i la gran popularitat d’aquests programes, se’ls questiona forca pel que fa a la seva execucio, especialment l’efectivitat de les seves accions per reduir la bretxa digital de genere i la inclusio de les dones en la ciencia. EnglishThere is a shared lasting concern in both developed and developing countries regarding the low rates of participating women in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics). In this context, one of the most frequent actions is the development of STEM and coding workshops as a way to increase the presence of women in these fields. The main object of this article is not only to provide a description of the programs that support girls into STEM, but also to make a critical analysis of their design. This research employs the content analysis approach, a technique to make replicable and valid inferences from texts. The methodology sample came from a comprehensive review of 64 programs announced online that aim to support the incorporation of girls and women into STEM, particularly Information technology. As the final outcomes will show, besides the high popularity of these programs, there are important questionings regarding their design and implementation, particularly about the effectiveness of their actions in reducing the problems associated with the digital gender divide and the inclusion of women into STEM academia and STC industry.