A.
After re-examining a thousand studies, the American Association of University Women researchers found that girls make up only a small percentage of students in computer science classes. Girls consistently rate themselves significantly lower than boys in their ability and confidence in using computers. And they use computers less often than boys outside the classroom.An instructor of a computer lab says he’s already noticed some differences. Charles Cheadle of Cesar Chavez School says, "Boys are not so afraid they might do something that will harm the computer, whereas girls are afraid they might break it somehow."
B.
Six years ago, the software company Purple Moon noticed that girls’ computer usage was falling behind boys. Karen Gould says, "The number one reason girls told us they don’t like computer s is not that they’re too violent, or too competitive. Girls just said they’re incredibly boring."
C.
Purple Moon says it found what girls want, characters they can relate to and story lines relative to what’s going on in their own lives. Karen Gould of Purple Moon Software says, "What we definitely found from girls is that there is no intrinsic (固有的) reason why they wouldn’t want to play on a computer; it was just a content thing."
D.
The sponsor of the study says it all boils down to this: the technology gender gap that separates the girls from the boys must be closed if women are to compete effectively with men in the 21st century.