Women in Games Conference
University of Warwick, UK
10-12th September 2008
Call for papers and participation
The Women In Games conference encourages research and seeks to promote careers for women within the games industry. If games are to become a true sibling medium to music and cinema, the industry needs greater balance in its audience and its workforce. The Women In Games conference welcomes participants from both industry and academia, providing a forum for presentation and discussion of issues relating to all aspects of women's involvement in games, including game development, game playing and women as portrayed within games.
Although this conference is concerned with women and games please note that men are also very welcome to participate! The industry needs a meaningful dialogue between the sexes as it moves forward.
Further details of the conference and this year's themes are available at the conference website: www.womeningames.com
07 April 2008
Call for Girl Games
Synaptic Gaming & Simulation, LLC will soon launch an exciting new
website focusing on games specifically designed for girls between the
ages of 10 and 18. Independently developed games for tweens and teenage
girls are being sought. While all games will be considered, games which
contain some educational element in one or more of the following areas
are preferred. Of special interest is the objective to engage more
girls in virtual worlds to the extent that they have an opportunity to
learn lessons in:
Money management
Math
Science
Technology
Engineering
Games must be rated E for Everyone.
Games must be playable on standard home computers (Windows 2000 or
later) and should not require the latest graphics, sound, or video
cards.
Selected games will be published with very favorable terms for the
developer. Details will be contained in confidential communications
with selected developers.
For immediate consideration, reply in confidence with the following to:
Elizabeth Hubbard
Synaptic Gaming & Simulation, L.L.C.
Managing Member
ehubbard@synapticgaming.com
Name of the Game
A summary of the game (limit 500 words)
If the game contains an educational element, identify the learning
objective(s)
6 screen shots
Brief statement of what makes the game appealing to girls
System specs for the game's optimal play
Game credits (including writers and artists)
Contact information
We invite you to share this Call for Games with other independent game
developers. This is an open and on-going call. There are no deadlines.
All submissions will be evaluated as they are received. The target
launch date for the new website is June 1, 2008.
website focusing on games specifically designed for girls between the
ages of 10 and 18. Independently developed games for tweens and teenage
girls are being sought. While all games will be considered, games which
contain some educational element in one or more of the following areas
are preferred. Of special interest is the objective to engage more
girls in virtual worlds to the extent that they have an opportunity to
learn lessons in:
Money management
Math
Science
Technology
Engineering
Games must be rated E for Everyone.
Games must be playable on standard home computers (Windows 2000 or
later) and should not require the latest graphics, sound, or video
cards.
Selected games will be published with very favorable terms for the
developer. Details will be contained in confidential communications
with selected developers.
For immediate consideration, reply in confidence with the following to:
Elizabeth Hubbard
Synaptic Gaming & Simulation, L.L.C.
Managing Member
ehubbard@synapticgaming.com
Name of the Game
A summary of the game (limit 500 words)
If the game contains an educational element, identify the learning
objective(s)
6 screen shots
Brief statement of what makes the game appealing to girls
System specs for the game's optimal play
Game credits (including writers and artists)
Contact information
We invite you to share this Call for Games with other independent game
developers. This is an open and on-going call. There are no deadlines.
All submissions will be evaluated as they are received. The target
launch date for the new website is June 1, 2008.
03 April 2008
How stereotyping affects testing and performance
The group is developing an online game called Trait Mate to measure and modify children's stereotypical beliefs. By the age of 5, stereotypes about gender have been indoctrinated.
Excerpts:
"
“Stereotype threat can be induced by a variety of subtle cues in the
testing environment,” McGlone said, “such as the gender composition of a
class or being asked to indicate one’s ethnicity or gender on a test
demographics question. These cues heightened awareness of people’s
‘ascribed identities’—for example, identities based on things about
themselves that they can’t easily change.”
McGlone acknowledged that many aspects of personal identity are
achieved—membership in social categories based on individual
achievements—rather than ascribed. He contended that deficits in test
performance caused by stereotype threat could be mitigated by reminding
test takers of the achieved identities they possess for which there are
positive performance expectations.
“In other words, by putting women in a situation where they’re not
preoccupied with negative gender stereotypes, you can significantly reduce
the gender gap in standardized testing performance,” he said.
"
Excerpts:
"
“Stereotype threat can be induced by a variety of subtle cues in the
testing environment,” McGlone said, “such as the gender composition of a
class or being asked to indicate one’s ethnicity or gender on a test
demographics question. These cues heightened awareness of people’s
‘ascribed identities’—for example, identities based on things about
themselves that they can’t easily change.”
McGlone acknowledged that many aspects of personal identity are
achieved—membership in social categories based on individual
achievements—rather than ascribed. He contended that deficits in test
performance caused by stereotype threat could be mitigated by reminding
test takers of the achieved identities they possess for which there are
positive performance expectations.
“In other words, by putting women in a situation where they’re not
preoccupied with negative gender stereotypes, you can significantly reduce
the gender gap in standardized testing performance,” he said.
"
02 April 2008
Pair Programming and Women
ABSTRACT:
Pair programming, when used as a form of collaborative learning, has been
shown to increase the number of women (and men) persisting in their
previously stated intent to pursue degrees in computer science. In
addition, paired teams have been found to significantly outperform
individual programmers in terms of program functionality and readability,
to report greater satisfaction with the problem-solving process, to have
greater confidence in their solutions, and to be more likely to complete a
programming assignment.
Pair programming, when used as a form of collaborative learning, has been
shown to increase the number of women (and men) persisting in their
previously stated intent to pursue degrees in computer science. In
addition, paired teams have been found to significantly outperform
individual programmers in terms of program functionality and readability,
to report greater satisfaction with the problem-solving process, to have
greater confidence in their solutions, and to be more likely to complete a
programming assignment.
Surprise Surprise Video Game Study Discounts Girls
Surprise, Surprise...video game study discounts girls
by Suzanne Freyjadis-Chuberka
"
Two Harvard researchers have just released a book based on a study about
the nature of violent games and their effect on youth...
In an interview the lead researcher, Prof. Cheryl Olson says, "Since we bought into the myth that girls don't like violent games, we didn't recruit them for focus groups in this set of studies." ...
"
by Suzanne Freyjadis-Chuberka
"
Two Harvard researchers have just released a book based on a study about
the nature of violent games and their effect on youth...
In an interview the lead researcher, Prof. Cheryl Olson says, "Since we bought into the myth that girls don't like violent games, we didn't recruit them for focus groups in this set of studies." ...
"
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