Girls Embrace Technology: a Summer Internship for High School Girls

1 Jacquelyn F. Sullivan, Integrated Teaching and Learning Program and Laboratory, College of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Colorado at Boulder, 522 UCB, Boulder, CO 80309-0522, [email protected]. 2 Derek Reamon, Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Colorado at Boulder, 427 UCB, Boulder, CO 80309-0427, [email protected]. 3 Beverly Louie, Women in Engineering Program, College of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Colorado at Boulder, 422 UCB, Boulder, CO 80309-0422, [email protected]. Abstract High school girls explore their potential for a career in engineering and technology through developing educational interactive multimedia software during a sixweek summer internship. “Techno-neutral” girls — those who do not envision themselves pursuing a career in hightech, yet have the academic preparedness, curiosity and commitment to complete the internship and produce a successful multimedia product — are recruited. The internship experience makes information technology accessible and attractive to the girls via developing creative, hands-on educational software for younger children. The girls develop technical skills in graphic design, user interface development, visual programming, digital image manipulation, multimedia authoring and user testing. The girls were as impacted by the environmental and cultural conditions of the internship — including working in teams — as they were by the opportunity to learn new technological tools. The internship helped the girls become aware that a technology-based career can be creative and fun while serving the needs of society.