I believe that technology does not eliminate gender inequality because it doesn't specifically relate to gender. Technology is not the one that is biased, teachers are. Technology is technology. Just because the teacher implements technology into her classroom does not mean that the teacher herself will not be biased through the teaching process.
Although technology was originally designed for men, women have succeeded in technological advances just as much as men have. Although, when it comes to the hardware of the computer, men have the upper-hand. In high school, I enrolled in an Electronics class thinking it would be fun to try something new. However I soon discovered that I was the only girl that signed up. I felt extremely out of my expertise (in which I was). I was constantly asking for help or clarification. It seemed that every guy in the class knew exactly how to make a strobe light or how to take apart a computer, everyone except me. However, my teacher (who was male) thoroughly enjoyed me in his class actually. He was intrigued that I had stepped out of my comfort zone and chosen to take his course. He said it was a great encouragement to see students challenge themselves in new ways. I even made friends with many of the guys as well. Many of them were underclassmen and saw me, the senior, as someone who was willing to meet new people no matter how nerdy they were. As a girl did I feel inexperienced? Yes, but I had never learned this stuff before. Did I feel neglected? No. I believe there are times when students feel inexperienced in certain subjects that are predominantly male and call it gender inequality.
Some may say that technology is biased; some may say that technology eliminates it. But technology as a whole is simple technology. It cannot feel. It cannot pass judgment. Technology cannot eliminate gender inequality because it neither has no gender nor specifically relates to it. Some technology might appeal to certain genders, and people may call it biased. But it is the teacher who holds the power to eliminate gender inequality in her students by viewing them as human beings and providing a paradigm for the entire class.
Although technology was originally designed for men, women have succeeded in technological advances just as much as men have. Although, when it comes to the hardware of the computer, men have the upper-hand. In high school, I enrolled in an Electronics class thinking it would be fun to try something new. However I soon discovered that I was the only girl that signed up. I felt extremely out of my expertise (in which I was). I was constantly asking for help or clarification. It seemed that every guy in the class knew exactly how to make a strobe light or how to take apart a computer, everyone except me. However, my teacher (who was male) thoroughly enjoyed me in his class actually. He was intrigued that I had stepped out of my comfort zone and chosen to take his course. He said it was a great encouragement to see students challenge themselves in new ways. I even made friends with many of the guys as well. Many of them were underclassmen and saw me, the senior, as someone who was willing to meet new people no matter how nerdy they were. As a girl did I feel inexperienced? Yes, but I had never learned this stuff before. Did I feel neglected? No. I believe there are times when students feel inexperienced in certain subjects that are predominantly male and call it gender inequality.
Some may say that technology is biased; some may say that technology eliminates it. But technology as a whole is simple technology. It cannot feel. It cannot pass judgment. Technology cannot eliminate gender inequality because it neither has no gender nor specifically relates to it. Some technology might appeal to certain genders, and people may call it biased. But it is the teacher who holds the power to eliminate gender inequality in her students by viewing them as human beings and providing a paradigm for the entire class.
Your point about teachers being biased instead of technology. That can be true in a way. But I feel that technology can still have some gender bias because men seem to understand it more than women can.
ReplyDeleteI thoroughly enjoyed reading your blog. I loved that you used a personal story to relate it to the subject. It put it into perspective for me. Technology interests a lot of the male population and for a female I feel very inexperienced with it. That doesn't make me feel like I'm being treated unequal, but that does not mean that it can't be. I appreciated your story and your efforts of a new approach.
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