Paper Summary:

This research paper focuses on the significant gender discrepancy in the amount and form of computer use. The writer points out that, as the general public acknowledges that in order for children and youth to participate in this new and quickly changing technical world, they must have a certain degree of interest, comfort and competence in computer use. It is, therefore, the responsibility of society to ensure that girls are just as competent as their male peers in computer use. The paper then attempts to determine the reason for the gender difference in computer games and what changes are required to enhance girls' computer literacy.

Table of Contents:
Introduction
Feminism and Computer Games
Girls vs. Boys Computer Gaming Interest and Usage
Computer Games for Girls
Marketing Girls' Computer Games
Game Playing Statistics
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"The impact of these social constructions is very real. They are part of a connection that exists between computer games and later interest and skills in technology that begins even before adolescence and continues throughout a person's lifetime that deals specifically with the gender issue. Females are socialized away from game play, which leads to a self-fulfilling prophesy for technology use: Girls who do not play become women who do not use computing technology or go into the computing fields of endeavor."

Sample of Sources Used:

• American Association of University Women. . http://www.aauw.org/research/techexecsumm.cfm [accessed 30 August 2007]
• Camp, Tracy "The incredible shrinking pipeline" Communications of the ACM, 40 (1997).103-110
• Brunner, Cornelia, Dorothy Bennett, and Margaret Honey "Girl Games and Technological Desire". In: Cassell, J. and Jenkins, H. 1998, From Barbie to Mortal Kombat: Gender and Computer Games, (Cambridge, MIT Press, 2000)
• Cassell, Justine and Henry Jenkins From Barbie to Mortal Kombat (Cambridge: MIT Press, 1999)
• Cassell, Justine and Kimiko Ryokai. "Computer support for children's collaborative fantasy play and storytelling" Guide to Computing Literature. 53 (1999)

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