Boys, Girls, and E-mail: a Case Study in Finnish Senior Secondary Schools

The purpose was to explore the educational potential accessible with the aid of international communications networks and computer-mediated communication mainly as seen by the participating Finnish students. This was associated with students’ attitudes and preferences to teaching practices and teaching tools. A more general purpose was to examine gender sensitivity of e-mail and the question of equality education. The research method was based on an ethnographic approach complemented by a symbolic interactionist perspective, the constructivist view of knowledge, and an anthropomorphic model. Perry’s Map of Cognitive and Ethical Development and the Social Factors Model were also utilised. The research problems included computer equity/inequity, equality education, opinions and preferences between boys and girls concerning the use of communications networks and e-mail, achievability of aims and goals, student generated disturbances, and students’ initiative. The Finnish participants consisted of six classes (Form 1 or 2) in three senior secondary schools, with four teachers of English (mother tongue: Finnish). Data was gathered during fieldwork (Nov. 1989—May 1990). The girls provided slightly more analytical comments than the boys. When expressing a critical opinion, many girls motivated their views while the boys often contented themselves with blunt statements. More girls than boys appeared to be ready to commit themselves to a new kind of learning environment. When computer-mediated communication is introduced, attention has to be paid to what boys and girls best master in computing; boys’ interest in hardware could be fruitfully combined with girls’ skills to manipulate the word-processors and their ability to exchange ideas in writing. Both boys and girls should have more direct access to the computing resources of their schools and e-mail as a tool. E-mail increases the use of computers as tools. It can also have a democratising influence on power relationships in class, by giving new opportunities to shy or slow students. Computer-mediated communication and e-mail need be understood as a useful form of activity which helps students in their studying and which will replace part of traditional teaching and will gradually become a relevant part of the teaching/learning process. One of the most important conclusions was that both boys and girls could enjoy working in a learning environment focused on computer-mediated communication; they could become deeply committed to working in an e-mail-equipped co-operative and collaborative environment and learn not only from each other but also learn from and interact productively with the computer.