Tech gender gap closing?

From: WEEAPUB (WEEAPUB@edc.org)
Date: Fri Feb 26 1999 - 12:06:21 EST


GENDER GAP DISAPPEARING IN COMPUTER USE

For the first time, nearly comparable numbers of boys and girls ages six to
17 are using computers according to the 1998 Roper Youth Report. Last year,
while overall computer use was the same for both genders, more boys were using
computers at home. The 1998 Roper Youth Report is based on in-home
face-to- face interviews with a nationwide cross-section of 1,189 children age
six to 17. "For children today, using a computer is an everyday part of their
lives, no more challenging or mysterious than turning on the TV was for their
Baby Boomer parents,'' says Joan Chiaramonte, vice president of Roper Starch
Worldwide, who headed up the study.

Overall, seven in ten (69%) six-to-17-year-olds used a personal computer in
the past 30 days (1998: 69% vs. 1997: 70%). That translates to 32 million
young people out of a possible total of 46.5 million children in the age
group. Of the 74% of teens who used a PC in the past 30 days, 82% of boys
and 80% of girls used a computer at school. Also based on those having used a PC
in the past 30 days, more than half of both genders (58% of boys; 51% of girls)
used one in their own homes.

Forwarded by Susan Carter
edequity-admin@mail.edc.org



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