http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wamc/local-wamc-828265.mp3
Albany, NY – The Gidget Pipeline Project recommends educating girls to be designers, not just users. It says educators and parents should help girls imagine themselves early in life as creators and producers of new technology. Pamela Haag, the AAUW Educational Foundation's Director of Research says, "To get girls under the hood' of technology, they need to see that it gets them where they want to go." Mary Thorn, of the National Council for Research on Women believes, "The need for mentors and networking for girls and women begins at the primary school level..." And so, the past few years, volunteers from Ohio State University's Women in Technology group...and OSU's TWICE (The Women in Computer Engineering) program, have been running an after school technology club for girls. It's generating a curriculum for others to be able to duplicate the after school technology experience. And though it's still early, the club reports a remarkably high retention rate of 80%, or 8 out of 10 girls completing the year-long program. TBOOK visits this unique program in Columbus, Ohio to speak with faculty and students. Sandra Sleight-Brennan reports from Ohio. For more details about this popular Gidget Pipeline Project, listeners should log on to: www.cse.ohio-state.edu/~bbair/gidget/Rationale.htm