AWE Logo

About AWE
branches


button forums
conferences


Membership

Current Project

Gender Up Front

Publications
links
policy button
Publications

 Girls and ICTs role models kit

Combined Event – Students, Parents and Teachers
What are the aims of a combined event?
This event aims to:

  • Encourage dialogue, excitement and a shared experience between parents and students;
  • Assist students, parents and teachers to share ownership for Girls and ICTs issues;
  • Enthuse and increase awareness of stakeholders regarding ICT career and study pathways;
  • Dispel myths about career options and ICT stereotypes by highlighting the variety of pathways in ICT and ICT-enabled careers;
  • Identify the unique attributes that women bring to the ICT work place. These attributes include teamwork, communication and interpersonal skills;
  • Build girls’ confidence in themselves and showcase their abilities to parents, educators and the wider community.

What time of year should a combined event be held?
When deciding on the time of year to run the event, consider:

  • Term 1 is too soon for students to be making decisions about subject selection.
  • That schools need to be actively involved in promoting this event to students, parents and teachers. Term 4 is a very busy for schools,
  • That it is best for the event to be scheduled just prior to subject selection processes in local schools.
  • That the event needs to be held at least two weeks after a school vacation period.
  • That the recommended school term is term 3.

What should be considered when deciding on the time of day for the combined event?
An evening event also allows more time for networking, questions without feeling the pressure to rush off. It is also important to allow parents time to get home from week, time to feed the other kids. There needs to be sufficient time for sponsors to set up their trade displays and for students and committee members to mingle.

What would happen at a combined event?

Time What happens Target Audience
Girls Parents & Teachers
15 mins Meet and greet, nibblies & drinks Y Y
15 mins

Welcome & Introductions

TIP
Your opening speaker will set the tone for the event. They should be enthusiastic and positive. Ideas for opening speakers include female executives, a famous woman who is passionate about ICTs, a dynamic young female speaker, ICT Uni students or past students or a motivational speaker.
Y Y
30 mins Female speakers/role models. These segments may include ICT demonstrations. Y Y
30 mins

Groups split
Parents and teachers:

  • Hear from a secondary school Head of Department talking about secondary school ICT subjects.
  • Hear from representatives from tertiary education providers about ICT careers and study opportunities.
  • Finish with a panel of women who work and study with ICTs. Give the parents and teachers the opportunity to ask questions of the panellists.
TIP
Other items for the guest speakers to cover include information about myths and issues about ICTs careers in studies; differences in the way girls approach ICTs, ICT career opportunities and ICT career income levels.
  Y
 

Students:

  • Do a practical ICT activity. This may be a:
    • hand-on ICT workshop;
    • group work;
    • complete a questionnaire based on the speakers which can be used as an entry form for a door prize later;
    • witness an ICT demonstration;
    • spend time with role models in small groups;
    • watch ICT careers videos oro showcasing girls and ICTs websites.
 Y  
30 mins

Groups join together for the final debrief. In this session you may like to:

  • Issue showbags;
  • Show Girls and ICTs related websites;
  • Explain where to go for more careers advice;
  • Summarise the event and
  • Leave contact details for unanswered questions.
 Y Y
15 mins

Tradeshow (optional)
Event finish

Y Y

What variations / additions are possible for this type of event?
Ideas include:

  • Hands-on computer lab workshops for students and/or parents.
  • An online discussion board that can be used throughout the event by parents and students. The discussion board will need a clear purpose such as to discuss issues raised by the role models.
  • Showcasing high levels of female tertiary or secondary students’ work with ICTs.
  • A demonstration or hands-on workshop involving emerging or cutting edge technologies.
  • Using an electronic audience survey system, ask the participants questions relating to Girls and ICTs issues. The survey systems give immediate visual feedback on audience responses.
  • Have a web camera showing the parents what the students are doing in their session.
  • Playing student-produced videos for the event.
  • Having a simple follow up event to evaluate the success of the event. It may be held after year 10 subject selection to see what impact event has had on decision making and to show photos and videos taken at the event.

Tip
It is suggested that the evening event be held in a non-school venue such as a tertiary institution. This provides students with another experience that is different from the norm, and thus more appealing.

It is also suggested that students not be required to wear school uniform. This creates for girls an opportunity to dress smart.

 

Additional Resources

 

previous | back to kit contents | next