By Dr. Janese Swanson
I have been in the technology and education industries for years. In the '80's I was a product manager at Broderbund Software for titles including Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? Treehouse, and Playroom. My years in academics as both student and teacher have provided me with a strong grasp of what kids enjoy and learn from.
Research shows that girls have been left out of technology. A child's introduction to the world of technology is often through video and software games, and technology toys. However, existing technology toy companies focus almost exclusively on the tried and true boy's market. Approximately 85% of the revenues of the $12 billion technical toy and video game markets are derived from sales of products directly to boys. Although half of the world's population is female, and over $45 billion is spent by girls in retail purchases every year, leaders in the commercial technology industry have not considered girls as a potential market. I have found that the tech industry didn't even really consider what girls might enjoy. In their minds, and quickly developing in the minds of a generation of girls, was the idea that girls do not enjoy, relate to, or use technology (i.e., computers, video games, electronics).
Absolutely untrue. Being a girl who took apart tape recorders, typewriters, and other appliances because they were fascinating to me, a girl who climbed trees, played sports, wore dresses (sometimes) and even played with trucks and dolls on occasion, I know that girls -- many girls if not all girls -- will enjoy technology if the products are designed with their preferences in mind. For example, girls enjoy video games that do something other than shoot and kill to no greater end than making things dead. Because so few technology products have been developed with girls' interests and play preferences in mind, girls feel tech products are not for them and are discouraged from technology use at an early age. Girls' alienation from the tech world limits their future career choices.
Even though few girls are buying the shoot-em-up video games, it's still a billion dollar industry. That means appealing to one half the market is highly profitable. Just think of the increased potential when products are made for girls? The logic seems obvious, but I still got a negative response from the industry. It became clear to me that I'd have to pursue the girls' market on my own.
I slapped down my credit cards and opened my home to a few believers who were willing to work for pennies to make the dream come true. All along, there have been people committed to making the industry and the world more receptive and encouraging to girls' abilities. Not surprisingly, most are women and fathers of daughters. Though none of them had much money, they had a wealth of talent, ideas, and motivation which brought us to where we are today: Girl Tech -- a foundling company with only a handful of full time employees and an impressive list of accomplishments.
Girl Tech's vision is to change society's perceptions of girls and girls' perceptions of themselves. Girls need to reach confidently into areas such as technology, mathematics, science, and leadership that have generally been seen as male domains. To help girls into these areas, we as a society need to expand our understanding of girls' abilities and strengths to include the non-stereotypical characteristics that are true to their natures. Wonderful research on girls in academic settings has already begun to change our teaching approach to girls, however, it is not enough. A five point approach addressing attitudes towards girls in the consumer products industry, the media, peer groups, families, as well as education is necessary to effect changes. When perceptions of girls in all five areas have grown congruently, girls will be able to acknowledge their power without a second thought.
Our mission is to bring girls into the world of technology. We are producing products and services for girls that make technology fun, and promote communication and the innate adventurous spirit of girls. We are accomplishing our goals by creating alliances with powerful entities that directly affect the five aforementioned areas. By this summer, the Girl Tech brand will be recognized and celebrated in the home, in the school, in the industry and media, by mothers and fathers of daughters, and by girls themselves.
Dr.Swanson can be reached at
Girl Tech
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