Abstract:

The underrepresentation of women in technical degrees is a matter of concern, as it leads to multiple issues such as the lack of diversity and the exclusion of women from the tech industry job market. Several initiatives have arised to fight against this situation. Many of those target Primary School students, as gender stereotypes are developed during early years and they have been identified as one of the reasons why female students do not choose technical careers.

This work evaluates the cross-sectional impact of an extracurricular activity identified as the first one targeting a mixed audience, covering a wide age range, and with cross-border and multi-competence effect. This activity consists in an international contest, launched in Spain and Latin America, where groups of students meet female professionals working in technology, which act as role models and break classical stereotypes. Students must create a website including profiles of women in tech: their biography, career, main achievements, and any other aspect that the students want to include. Instead of promoting classical female role models, the contest forces participants to select contemporary professionals that live in their own country or even city, so students can meet more close inspirational models. The contest evaluation criteria prioritize those websites containing video or text interviews with the professionals, encouraging the students to meet them and ask them all their questions and concerns.

Using questionnaires addressed to both teachers and students, we have studied the evolution of the impact of the activity during two editions. We have identified an increase in the cognitive and emotional impact, on both students and teachers. This initiative has managed to break gender stereotypes associated with technological professions, while promoting interest in technical careers, teamwork, digital skills, research capacity and creativity.

Keywords:

Gender stereotypes, secondary education, digital culture, social impact, ICT competence/skill.