Don't miss this fascinating panel :-) Hope to see you tonight at SRI, Shahani Towfiq BayCHI-Kids' Co-chair DEVELOPING GIRLS' TECHNOLOGY FLUENCY Wednesday, April 19, 2006. 6.30PM Networking 7PM Panel Presentation SRI International 333 Ravenswood Avenue, Menlo Park International Building Directions at: http://www.sri.com/contact/ibldg.html PANEL OVERVIEW: Experts believe students need to become fluent with information technology to gain a deep understanding of the fundamental concepts behind how technologies work and to acquire an ability to use technology tools to solve practical problems in different disciplines (National Research Council, 1999). However, little is known about how to identify and measure technological fluency. Further, girls express little interest in becoming technologically fluent or in pursuing IT careers (AAUW, 2000). Our panelists will describe how after-school programs and settings can provide innovative and motivating learning opportunities for girls to achieve technological fluency and to develop interest in IT careers. The panelists will relate research on girls' access to computers and the Internet, and then share specific research on three community-based programs. Panelists will then dialogue with the audience about how to support and assess technological fluency across learning contexts. PANELISTS Rebecca London, University of California, Santa Cruz Jill Denner, ETR Associates Deborah Kim Emery, Center for Technology in Learning at SRI International Melissa Koch, Center for Technology in Learning at SRI International http://www.baychi.org/bof/kids/