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BUILD IT

Build IT: Girls Building Information Technology Fluency Through Design

Build IT is an NSF-funded problem-based curriculum that capitalizes on girls’ interest in design and communication technologies.  Developed by SRI International’s Center for Technology in Learning and Girls Incorporated of Alameda County (GIAC), Build IT reaches middle school girls from populations under-represented in IT fields.

The goals of Build IT are to motivate middle school girls to:

  • Explore IT and IT careers
  • Use technology to strengthen and build their technology fluency
  • Take algebra and geometry courses in preparation for postsecondary STEM education and IT careers

In addition, Build IT enhances staff capacity to offer IT fluency programming.

About the Program:

Girls image of IT Careers as solitary and boring are changing to collaborative, fun, and intellectually stimulating.

Build IT girls demonstrated:

  • A 10% increase in sentiments that IT careers would be fun
  • A 10% decline in feelings that IT careers would be boring
  • A 13% decline in feelings that they would not enter IT careers because they do not like computers

Many of the girls interviewed expressed their interest in IT careers and were able to articulate the responsibilities of specific IT jobs.

Girls are increasing their technology skills and conceptual knowledge.

Participants reported substantial growth in their perceived IT skills:

  • 90% stated that they were able to use the computer to communicate-up from 75% in the fall
  • 69% agreed that they would be able to learn new computer programs and software-up from 57% in the fall
  • 64% were confident they could describe how information travels through the Internet-up from only 29% in the fall

Girls demonstrated their skills and conceptual understanding formally through Performance Tasks, such as:

  • Looking at HTML code and drawing by hand the resulting page
  • Using design criteria to give each other feedback on their websites
  • Fixing their own HTML code and helping other participants troubleshoot HTML errors

In contrast to their non-Build IT counterparts:

  • Build IT participants demonstrated a 14-percentage point higher increase in understanding design, computers, networks and technology concepts
  • Build IT girls were 20% to 23% more likely to teach others about computers and technology

Girls express more interest in Mathematics and Computer Science Courses

Build IT girls demonstrated:

  • A 27% increase in positive attitude toward taking computer courses in high school
  • A 24% increase in interest toward upper-level high school mathematics courses