PAST RESEARCH

 

1985

B. Collis conducted a study on the sexual differences in attitude towards computer use by secondary school students. What he discovered was that young women were found to be more uncomfortable than young men with the technology.

1992

L. Shashaani conducted a similar study at another school in Pennsylvania. He found that girls were not as interested in computers as their counterparts, therefore they had low expectations in comprehending the medium. What Shashaani also noted was that the socioeconomic status and cultural experiences of these girls might have played a significant role in determining the girls' attitudes towards computer technology. He also felt that the reasoning behind this attitude could not be determined by only using quantitative research methods.

1994

R. Kay studied the process of knowledge acquisition in a computer-based environment. He conducted two interviews to determine the subject's computer experiences and general learning. Kay proceeded to examine components of the knowledge building processes, and analyzed how they affected the subjects What Kay discovered from his research was that each gender viewed computers differently, therefore qualitative research was needed to understand the subjects' thinking processes and their attitudes towards the technology.

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Nicole La Roche

Feminist Perspectives on Computer Based Technologies

Communication Studies Program, Social Science Division
York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M3J 1P3