The Girls Creating Games Program: An Innovative Approach to Integrating Technology into Middle School

The Girls Creating Games program is a demonstration project designed to increase the number of girls who become producers, rather than just users, of technology. The activities and instructional approach are aimed to increase girls ’ expectations for success with computers and the extent to which they value computer work and the support they receive. In over 23 sessions after school and in the summer, middle school girls worked in pairs to design and program a computer game that was supposed to help other students. Two hundred fourteen girls participated in a study of the program. Data from surveys and interviews suggest that compared to girls not in the program, participants increased their computer skills, knowledge about computers, and perceived social support. They decreased their negative stereotypes about girls and information technology workers. Implications for applying aspects of the program to middle school classrooms are discussed