Virtual Computer Clubs
FEMALE students have been invited into the world of information technology using virtual computer clubs. A project linked to the University of Sussex and Queen Mary & Westfield College has provided 14 year old young women with access to video conference-based clubs, where they can meet well-known people, produce web pages and collaborate on joint projects.
Recent on-line links include a visit from HRH Princess Anne, and a live link to Lucent Technologies - Bell Labs in the US where a senior education officer discussed the possiblities of link-ups with women-oriented American technology programmes. Future proposals include video-conferencing with European schools, and experiments with visual programming and animations.
The impact of the clubs on women's attitudes to IT will be assessed with surveys and a follow-up study to gauge how the project influences career and study choices in the future.