CSEdWeek 2010 | Day 2: Dot Diva
Scratch was created to support computing in all ages and types of learners. One of the most underrepresented populations in the field of computing is young women.
For Day 2 of CSEd Week, we are featuring: Dot Diva
What is a Dot Diva?
- Dot Divas are CREATIVE.
- Dot Divas CONNECT PEOPLE.
- Dot Divas CHANGE THE WORLD.
Dot Divas are the new face of computing. They believe in the potential of computing to redesign the future and build a better world. They’re young women with the power and passion to make a difference.
The Dot Diva initiative was created as part of the New Image for Computing (NIC) initiative to improve the image of computer science among college-bound high school girls. It is managed by the WGBH Educational Foundation and the ACM Association for Computing Machinery (ACM). Its purpose is to create an exciting and attractive image of computing for college bound high school girls, ages 13-18. A U.S. nationwide survey revealed that not only do girls think of computing as “boring” and “hard,” but they believe it fails to deliver two crucial values: “working with others” and “making a difference in other people’s lives.” The mission of Dot Diva is to transform this negative perception of computing.
On DotDiva.org, young women are empowered to follow their passions. They can find out what careers in computing are related to their interests and watch a webisode about two Dot Divas that work at a video game company.
Girls can also view profiles of real-life Divas working a wide variety of computer-related careers. Laura Preifer, who had never heard of “computer science” until college, just developed a “virtual nurse” that helps hospital patients understand their medications and follow-up visits. Kendal Sager, who works at DreamWorks, recently created animation for the characters of the movie, Kung Fu Panda 2. Janelle Tiulentino is involved with a microfinance site that fights poverty by providing loans to low-income people in developing countries.
What’s your passion?
