Gender Gap in IT in Latin America

The under representation of women in IT related majors such as computer science, computer engineering, and information systems (IS) has been evident all over the world. As a result, many private and public institutions have created programs aimed to increase enrollment, recruitment, and placement of women in the field and reduce the gender gap in the field. Several journal publications about this kind of research can be found in the scientific literature about studies mostly conducted in the United States, Europe, Asia and Australia, but very few publications about this kind of research in Latin American countries is available in the literature despite the fact that in the last ten years, countries in Latin America also developed a variety of programs with the same goal with the support of international organizations like the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), giant technology corporations like IBM, and local governments. There are very few publications in international scientific outlets about Gender Gap in IT in Latin America. In this panel, seven Latin American academics will share recent related projects they have been part of, compare project results, challenges, and discuss what kind of dissemination practices could be more appropriate

Encouraging girls involvement in Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) careers in Uruguay

The gender gap in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) is regrettably universal and generally unacceptably broad. This phenomenon refers to women's underrepresentation in those fields, with the most significant disparities occurring in the critical fields of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS) and Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). The so-called pipeline problem contributes to this persisting gender gap, where women turn away from math and science at a young age due to negative stereotypes that cause them to believe they do not belong in STEM. All over the world, universities and organizations carry on initiatives to close this gap, showing varying degrees of success. Many of these programs focus on K-12 and high school girls, seeking to expose them to STEM-related activities to encourage girls' enrollment in STEM careers. Involving female teachers, and applying the role model approach, these programs offer in campus presentations, talks, or short courses aimed to break down stereotypes. In this article, we describe different sensibilization activities carried out at Facultad de Ingeniería (School of Engineering), Universidad de la República, Uruguay, to promote ICT careers in Uruguay. In particular, we present hands-on workshops for high school girls on robotics, electronic circuits, and geographic information systems on the occasion of the Girls in ICT Day

Visual Analisys of Educational Data: A Gender Study in Computer Courses in University of Brasilia

The presence of women in technology-related courses is declining every year, reaching in 2016 less than 20% of the total student body in the Department of Computer Science in UnB (Universidade de Bras´ılia). This paper uses visualization techniques to analyze and identify profile patterns in girls on undergraduate courses in the computing field. Dimensionality reduction technique (PCA), HeatMap and Parallel Coordinates were used for the visual data analysis process, considering the students’ situation in relation to UnB (active, drop out or graduated). In this work, the existing correlations between variables were evidenced, with more in-depth analysis of the association between entrance period and the nature of the university departure form and period of the university attendance. Also, the students participating in the quota schema were analysed and the study suggests that there is no correlation between students enrolled under the quota system and the form of departure from the course.&nbsp

How are children and young people engaged in research on paediatric obesity and which issues do they report?:A scoping review

The importance of engaging children and adolescents in research is increasingly acknowledged. The aim of this scoping review is to explore how children and young people have been engaged in research on paediatric obesity and which issues they have reported, in order to highlight areas that require further inquiry or action by researchers and health care professionals. There were 13 papers eligible for this review. Methods used included in-depth interviews, structured or semi-structured interviews, and focus groups, as well as more creative qualitative research methods. Half of the studies included young people with their parents; parents were always present when the interviewees were young children. Personal and sensitive themes, such as bullying, a desire to “fit in”, strong negative emotions about oneself (e.g., low self-esteem, low self-efficacy), and not feeling supported by family, peers, and professionals, were more often shared if parents were not present. An additional issue, wanting to be independent versus being under parental control was found in studies with adolescents. Engaging children and adolescents in multiple phases of research on paediatric obesity is beneficial in allowing better insight into their perspectives and providing recommendations that are more in line with their personal needs and life circumstances; such studies are still scarce in this field, however

Risks and Safety on the Internet: Comparing Brazilian and European Children

A child’s home and school are the most frequently reported locations of internet use in Brazil: 60% of Brazilian children aged 9 to 16 who used the internet claimed to access it from home, and 42% from school, whereas in Europe this proportion is 87% for home access and 63% for schools. However, when it comes to accessing the network from publicly sponsored internet access centres such as Local Area Network (LAN) Houses or cybercafés, the value in Brazil is considerably higher when compared to Europe, 35% against 12% respectively. Access from public libraries is far more popular in Europe (12%) than in Brazil (4%)

Innovation Plaza: Improving Teaching and Learning in Engineering Education

Innovation-Plaza at the University of New Mexico represents a significant advance in improvement in instruction, higher rates of student retention and graduation, and greater success for students traditionally underserved by engineering programs. Through the employment of improved teaching methods in a key ECE course; dual-credit courses for high school students; and outreach to public schools, industry, government and international organizations, Innovation-Plaza has already improved the prospects for academic and professional success for some students in the ECE program at UNM. Expansion and dissemination of the innovations piloted in this program can serve an important role in improving the prospects for students traditionally underserved by engineering and other higher education STEM programs, change that is essential if the United States is to remain competitive with other nations in science and technology. Given continued attention to the need to build on, replicate and disseminate successful aspects of the Innovation-Plaza program via improved pedagogy in ECE and other STEM courses; outreach to secondary school students, Hispanics, women, foreign students and other populations currently underserved by engineering and other STEM academic programs; and increased collaboration with educational institutions, governments, and industry, it can be expected that the Innovation-Plaza program will continue to experience growth and success in fulfilling its mission to better serve students in engineering and other STEM fields

A Review of the "Digital Turn" in the New Literacy Studies

Digital communication has transformed literacy practices and assumed great importance in the functioning of workplace, recreational, and community contexts. This article reviews a decade of empirical work of the New Literacy Studies, identifying the shift toward research of digital literacy applications. The article engages with the central theoretical, methodological, and pragmatic challenges in the tradition of New Literacy Studies, while highlighting the distinctive trends in the digital strand. It identifies common patterns across new literacy practices through cross-comparisons of ethnographic research in digital media environments. It examines ways in which this research is taking into account power and pedagogy in normative contexts of literacy learning using the new media. Recommendations are given to strengthen the links between New Literacy Studies research and literacy curriculum, assessment, and accountability in the 21st century

Rescuing the Media in Emerging Democracies through ICT

Several studies have shown the efficiency and pitfalls of ICT for mediating collective communication during political upheavals. However, little literature exists on understanding how the diversity of content generated through ICT empowers a free press when traditional media channels fail to expose the truth and promote public debate. This research aims to broaden our understanding of how ICT facilitate the exposure and interpretation of conditions in government institutions that go against public moralities – interpretations with the potential to mobilise thousands of individuals to protest. We engaged in an in-depth qualitative research using data from the Twittersphere. We conducted our study in the context of a Guatemalan tragedy in which 41 girls living in a state care home lost their lives. Our contribution to the literature is the understanding of how ICT enables the collective construction of meaning powerful enough to mobilise thousands of individuals in protest