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RECENT news articles have suggested that girls are less likely to be active with computers than boys. After teaching girls for the past three years, I find this statement difficult to accept. Girls befriend
computers, tooUp front, I acknowledge my sample is limited; namely, one all-girls Catholic high school, Sacred Hearts Academy. However, having conceded that, I suggest that Sacred Hearts' girls are not atypical of Oahu's teen female population. Asian groups dominate, many are first-generation Americans, a number are foreign born and it is not uncommon for both parents to work. So let me touch on how our girls used computers this past school year.
In my social studies classroom, computer-based assignments were given at least once every seven days. In other classes, U.S. history students researched civil rights figures on the Web. Asian studies honors students worked on a variety of topics for research papers. In the latter case, Web citations were limited so as not to let books be overlooked.
I estimate that 60 to 70 percent of our girls have access to the Internet in their homes. In honors and advanced placement classes, virtually all have home online access. Many girls created Web pages to present information in classes. If you go to Columbia University's New Deal Network you will find Academy girls published there as part of a lesson plan that the builder of that site thought deserved national attention.
Two of our "techies" wanted me to let people know that, "...our students are very skilled at using Powerpoint, Hyperstudio, Pagemaker, Excel and more..." They also routinely help me through software application problems.
Students use the Web for a variety of recreational and educational purposes. If they choose to play games, young women tend not to go for violence but for games that might require spatial thinking, for example. Some love to play three-dimensional tetris.
Also, girls tend to socialize through the Web using things like AOL IM (America Online Instant Messenger) and ICQ (jargon for "I seek you") to "chat" in real time. Often they discussed assignments, papers and other issues for classes. Sometimes they just "chat" as they would on the telephone.
One of our girls who was accepted at Cornell, submitted a tongue-in-cheek discussion of her "computer addiction" as the personal essay part of her application to that school.
Girls tend to be open and there is a lot of -- believe it or not -- poetry and charismatic spiritual thought in the form of anecdotal stories being "forwarded" (passed around). For example, one of our very bright 16 year olds -- perhaps not feeling too happy with a young man -- shared this:
One day you will love me as I love you.In perhaps one of its best applications, the Internet has become a marvelous vehicle for students to share, critique and publish their work. The number of students in my online "address book" passes 100. What is even more amazing is that my adult friends, from places as far away as Sweden, Korea and Nova Scotia, as well as Chicago and Austin, have sent things to me for my students. This "crossover" between teens and adults is really exciting. Could it be that these young women are bridging generation gaps through the Web?
One day you will think of me as I thought of you
One day you will cry for me as I cried for you
And one day you will want me, but I won't want you
If I had a wish
I would be your tears
To be born in your eyes
And to die on your lips
But if you were my tears
I would never cry
In fear of losing youAt any rate, there is one thing I am sure of. At Sacred Hearts Academy, our girls wholeheartedly embrace technology.
Joe Gardewin is a teacher at Sacred Hearts Academy.