Sadly Karen, I can't take credit for recommending the publication you mentioned, but I would like to thank whoever did. It looks really great. On Fri, Feb 22, 2013 at 10:30 AM, Karen Coyle <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > On 2/21/13 7:48 PM, Emily Morton-Owens wrote: > >> >> This was just the right thing to say, because he was connecting it to >> something that I consider myself talented at (languages), rather than >> something I don't (math). >> > > I want to clear up the "math is hard" and "programming is math" myths. > First, the ratio of women to men in graduate math programs is approaching > 50/50, although women are still struggling to be hired and gain tenure in > math departments. So "math is hard" for many of us, but it's not > necessarily a gender thing. (I'm looking for the cite for this -- I've done > too much random reading recently and didn't mark this. May be book below.) > > Math skills are not required for programming. There was a time when > silicon valley was desperate for programmers, and some companies advertised > that they were looking for folks with music skills and they would teach > them programming -- because they had found that musicians make for good > programmers. It's the ability to deal with complex patterns that makes a > difference. Which is why it annoys me when programming instruction begins > with a list of mathematical functions that most programmers will never need. > > I believe that Rosy was the first to recommend this, but the IEEE > publication: Gender Codes - why women are leaving computing/ edited by > Thomas Misa, 2010 is essential reading. You can get it as a Kindle or Nook > book. isbn 978-0470-59719-4 (paper) 978-1118-03513-9 (ebook) > > kc > > > >> Hi Folks, >>> >>> I'm teaching systems analysis at SILS (UNC CH) this semester. >>> >>> Though the course is required for the IS degree, it's not required for >>> the >>> LS degree. >>> >>> However, the majority of my students this semester are LS. And the vast >>> majority are women. >>> >>> Apropos of the part of the thread that dealt with numbers: >>> >>> For those of you who came into this community and at some point went >>> through a MSLS or MSIS program I am wondering if there are things I could >>> try to do that might have an impact on better aligning the ratio of men >>> to >>> women in code4lib and the technology end of the field in general to that >>> in the general population? >>> >>> Was there a moment of clarity? A person who said or modeled the right >>> thing? A project that helped uncover a skill you didn't know you had? >>> >>> And, I am not just interested in what I can do through one class, but >>> also >>> what the curriculum and school could do more holistically. >>> >>> Thanks, >>> >>> Tim >>> >>> > -- > Karen Coyle > [log in to unmask] http://kcoyle.net > ph: 1-510-540-7596 > m: 1-510-435-8234 > skype: kcoylenet >