Girls Tech: Young Women Learning through Collaboration

	Does the resource encourage exploration and inductive learning?

	Does the resource lend itself easily to small-group use?

In general, women tend to prefer learning through collaboration; men generally prefer learning through competition.

When selecting web sites and other electronic information resources for young women, resources not based on competition are preferable to those that present information through competitive formats, such as scored quiz games.
Interviews with undergraduate science majors found that many young women find competition-based learning repellent. Comments indicate that most women prefer not to see learning turned into a competitive activity. Indeed, they tend to view competition as getting in the way, both of good learning and of good collegial relationships.

Good examples that encourage collaboration:

DNA for Dinner (web site)
Grades: 9 & up. In this collaborative classroom activity, groups of students work together to analyze issues surrounding the genetic engineering of food. VIEW RATING

Shell Island Dilemma (web site)
Grades: 4 – 11. This extended-length classroom activity is an environmental pollution case study. By Ocean Expeditions VIEW RATING

MancalaSnails (web games)
Grades: 3 & up. Within this huge collection of games, cartoons, designs, e-cards, jokes, stories, and more, every one of the criteria is covered strongly by at least one game or activity. VIEW RATING