How to inspire girls to stick with computer science careers
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Far more men pursue a career in computer science than women, despite an ever-increasing demand for skilled labor in computing fields.
Researchers see girls losing interest early, said Tasneem Raja, interactive editor at Mother Jones.
"Around middle school, girls start to pull away from STEM fields while their male classmates don't," she said on The Daily Circuit.
One factor is how adults respond to their interests, Raja said.
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She told a story about one girl's experience in a computer science class:
To remedy this gap, schools across the country are looking for ways to introduce female students to computing. They aim to inspire girls to consider a field they may not otherwise have pursued.
On The Daily Circuit page, Birgit Mayr said technological fields need to be marketed to students as places that foster creativity:
When I was in high school, the computer science field seemed totally dull and unimaginative. Later in life (I'm in my late 40's), I realized through life experience that I really loved computers... I wish I had understood back in high school that this truly is a very creative field. I think if I had understood that back in high school, I might have discovered this very rewarding career much earlier.
Sharon, a caller from Eagan, said it's important for girls of color to see women like them working in technical jobs:
If you're a woman and in the computing field--are you one of only a few in your company? What inspired you to pursue your career? Leave your comments below.