The can-do girl goes to coding camp
A discourse analysis of news reports on coding initiatives designed for girls
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21785508 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Maureen Mauk (0000-0002-2127-8779, University of Wisconsin–Madison, corresponding author), Rebekah Willett (0000-0002-3327-3633, University of Wisconsin–Madison), Natalie Coulter (0000-0002-6137-7093, York University) |
| Year | 2020 |
| Volume | 45 |
| Issue | 4 |
| Pages | 395-408 |
| Publication date | 2020-10-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Learning Media and Technology (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1743-9884 • E-ISSN: 1743-9892 |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/17439884.2020.1781889 |
| OpenAlex | W3037995537 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 7 |
| References cited | 22 |
The past five or so years have been marked by a proliferation of educational initiatives, programmes, and toys designed to introduce children to coding and to develop their skills and interest in computer science. This article takes a critical approach to this movement, focusing specifically on ways dominant discourse surrounding the coding movement constructs children, girls, and coding and puts pressure on parents to assist their children in becoming valuable to neoliberal economies. The first part of the article reviews research concerning children and coding, the STEM skills gap, and gender divides in computer science. This part concludes with a discussion of neoliberal ideologies which frame these areas of debate. The second part analyzes 71 news articles published in a six-month period in 2018 that report on coding initiatives and related toys, including Robotics Engineer BarbieTM. This part of the article reveals ways these coding initiatives are framed as being essential to the future labour market, as solutions to gender parities in Computer Science fields, and as a way to create confident girls for the future workforce. The article concludes with connections to neoliberal ideologies which frame the role of parenting in the age of digital technologies
Developmental psychology · Girl · Ideology · Political science · Public relations · Social science · Sociology · Workforce · Child Development and Digital Technology · Law · Psychology · Teaching and Learning Programming · Youth Education and Societal Dynamics
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Using AI Tools to Enhance Educational Robotics to Bridge the Gender Gap in STEM
Unplugged programming practice in Chinese rural primary schools
Programming girlhood
The Effect of Robotics and Coding Education on Girls’ STEM Motivation, Attitude and Career Aspirations
Who takes computer science in high school? Intersectional and longitudinal evidence
STEMinist sensibilities in the promotion of STEM and tech participation to women and girls
The Future of the Professions
Computing whether she belongs
Changing a Generation’s Way of Thinking
Doing Cultural Studies The Story Of The Sony Walkman
Ethnography
Lifelong Kindergarten
The Rise of Neoliberal Feminism
Culture and Subjectivity in Neoliberal and Postfeminist Times
Confidence you can carry!’
Occupational Feminization and Pay
Rise of the robots
Opening Pandora's box
Assessing No Child Left Behind and the Rise of Neoliberal Education Policies
Empowered
| Unique citing works | 7 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 1,75 |
| Citation span | 2022 - 2025 (4) |
| Citation velocity | recent |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 6 |