Blogg-Ed Indetermination

As a technology director at an all girls school, I am always on the lookout for new insights into educating young women in the STEM areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Thus I was excited to learn about Lesley’s Farmer’s new book Teen Girls and Technology: What’s the Problem, What’s the Solution (Amazon citation).

Given her background in library programs (she coordinates the Librarianship Program and Cal State, Long Beach) it’s not surprising that Farmer has gathered an impressive amount of research studies which describes the past and current status of girls technology education.

Using the simple writing model of “what, so what, and now what” Farmer adequately addresses the “what” part of the model, citing study upon study and piles of statistics to give the reader a grounding in the disparate treatment girls receive from teachers, other adults, and peers of both genders which contribute to girls attitudes towards and facility with technology.

It’s in the areas of “so what, and now what” that I felt keenly disappointed. Farmer offers no fresh insights into what’s to be done to address the situation, but instead relies too much on previously published literature and broad platitudes about how to engage female teens through socially relevant topics and fun activities using topics such as entertainment, fashion and beauty, child care, and advice to the love lorn. In short, it read to me like applying gender-sterotypical solutions to a problem that does little to break the mold and truly inspire young women to lives of meaning and purpose in the technical arena.