Opening speaker session
Monday November 2, 2020
1:30–2:15PM
Advocating for an inclusive digital shift in education
The pace of digital transformation, in education and in the workplace, has been stepped up in response to the current health crisis. While most people interact daily with algorithms that influence information and training, those in charge of programming have a power that’s just as important as it is concealed. These people, however, do not represent society as a whole. Women, in particular, are less present in academic programs that lead to careers in information technology. One obvious outcome of this gap is a lack of wealth, while jobs go unfilled. On a more subtle plane, the lack of diversity shapes perceptions of digital technology and could reinforce the status quo: girls, at a very young age, do not see themselves in the world of IT. The transformation in education can only succeed in the wake of major change to make digital culture more inclusive.