OMG! Who are we?

I felt that so much of Trevor’s advice from “Girls in Ghana Get Computerized” on teaching computer literacy was relevant to the American digital disposition. While we in America are on the “advanced” end of the technological spectrum, many people have never touched a computer. It is imperative to tackle issues regarding the space of girls on computers and their relations with the World Wide Web, but I think it is even more important to learn from those who have a less complicated relationship with technology.

I really loved Trevor’s approach to introducing technology. He allowed it to be expansive to the girls in the way they wanted it to expand. He wanted them to explore on their own terms and discover their own relationships with the computer, whether that meant working with one for career purposes or simply singing fun songs into a recording program. This kind of simplicity is something I think Americans can benefit from, but can maybe, sadly, never return to.

On page 177 of “Girls’ Websites: a ‘Virtual Room of One’s Own’” , it is stated that girls manifest their playful selves by building websites instead of building something out of lego blocks or what have you. While I think that this functions in a positive way for some girls, allowing them to comment and gain perspective on different people outside of their social realm, (or maybe they simply hate being outside and do not want to build) I also believe that it takes away from their drive to think outside of the literal box. This is what differentiates the initial experiences of girls learning computers in Ghana and girls making creative homepages in the States. Girls in the United States are already being taught to understand the unavoidable computer takeover. “You can’t have a job without computer skills” is the mantra I’ve heard over and over again. Schools rely more on the jumpstart programs taught by computers than hiring a staff of qualified teachers. Therefore, girls in the United States use computers because there is simply no other “realistic/effective” option.

I think that so long as young people are being taught that they have options in life, that they can be themselves and function in society with or without computers, that things will be fine. Girls creating safe-space websites for themselves is amazing. Providing girls in Ghana a space to learn from and teach themselves computers is also wonderful, but what it comes down to is recognizing the balance of both of those things and making technology work to create better spaces for learning and security, and not simply relying on them for substantial conversation or self-representation.

nowayyyyyy