GIRLS DON‟T DO WIRES: AN EXPLORATION OF ADOLESCENT GIRLS‟ MEDIA PRODUCTION Pierre Doyon Ad Hoc Program in Curriculum and Instruction Department of Integrated Studies in Education Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Faculty of Education McGill University October 3, 2009 Copyright © 2009 Pierre Doyon. All Rights Reserved GIRLS DON”T DO WIRES ii Abstract Girls make up 50 percent of all high school students in computer classes yet only account for 17 percent of the computer science placement test-takers (Kearney, 2006). Of those only 13% end up working in the U.S. as computer programmers (EKOS, 2004), part of a nexus of an established patriarchy that supports normative view of a male dominated media culture. This teacher-researcher study explores causes for the low percentage of high school girls continuing on to higher education and/or careers in media production through a qualitative analysis of thirteen high school girls and four boys, drawing in particular on data collected as part of a video production unit in several secondary classrooms. The study makes use of a cultural studies analytic framework that looks at the primary texts (the actual videos produced in the media class), the producer texts (through surveys, questionnaires, journals and interviews with the student producers), and the environmental text (where the videos are produced). An analysis of the films produced indicates a general aptitude in girls using new media to produce film, but an accompanying lack of interest in pursuing careers in media production. A second finding was that there were notable differences in the productions made by girls and boys and evidence indicates girls tended to tell their narrative via interviews, relying on others to tell their story, while the boys were more likely to use simple, plot-driven narratives, primarily meant to amuse. The interest of the girls in this genre suggests a need to focus more on reflexive interviewing practices in school in order to encourage girls in creating reflexive productions (as well as traditional narratives), and in so doing to support and strengthen interest in media production. GIRLS DON”T DO WIRES iii Résume Les filles représentent 50 pour cent de tous les étudiants du secondaire dans les cours d‟informatique; pourtant elles comptent pour seulement 17 pour cent des étudiants qui se présentent aux examens d‟entrée à l‟université en informatique (Kearney, 2006). Parmi celles-ci, seulement 13% travaillent aux États-Unis comme programmeurs (EKOS, 2004), faisant partie d'un réseau patriarcal établi qui soutient le point de vue normatif d'une culture masculine qui domine les médias. Cette étude de professeur-chercheur cherche à déterminer les causes du faible pourcentage d‟étudiantes du secondaire qui continuent leurs études vers des niveaux supérieurs ou qui se dirigent vers des carrières dans le domaine de la production de médias. Cette étude est faite au moyen d‟une analyse qualitative de treize étudiantes et de six étudiants du secondaire, puisant en particulier dans des données recueillies dans des groupes de production de vidéos dans plusieurs salles de classes du secondaire. L'étude utilise un cadre analytique d'études culturelles qui regarde les textes de base (les vidéos réels produits dans la classe de médias), les textes du producteur (à l‟aide de sondages, de questionnaires, de journaux et d‟entrevues avec les producteurs étudiants), et du texte environnemental (où les vidéos sont produites). Une analyse des films produits montre une aptitude générale chez les filles à utiliser les nouveaux médias pour produire des films, mais en même temps montre un manque d'intérêt pour la poursuite d‟une carrière dans la production de médias. Une deuxième conclusion montre qu‟il y a des différences marquantes entre les productions faites par des filles et celles faites par des garçons et il est clair que les filles ont tendance à exprimer leurs récits au moyen d‟entrevues, en se servant des autres pour raconter leur histoire alors que les garçons ont plutôt tendance à faire leur récits en utilisant une intrigue simple et qui cherche à amuser. L‟intérêt montré par les étudiantes pour ce genre laisse supposer un besoin de mettre l‟accent dans les écoles secondaires sur des méthodes d‟entrevues introspectives de façon à encourager les étudiantes à créer des productions introspectives (aussi bien que des récits traditionnels), ce qui contribue à appuyer et à renforcer un intérêt dans la production de medias. GIRLS DON”T DO WIRES iv Acknowledgments I acknowledge with gratitude the great teachers of my life: my advisor Claudia Mitchell who is both my mentor and my cheerleader; Bronwen Low who first sparked my interest in curriculum five years ago and gave me insights into Slam Poetry that makes up a large part of my high school curriculum; Sandra Weber who inspired me to write my first autobiography a decade ago and introduced me to a feminist approach to research; My father who taught me how to write a paper and whose determination to complete his own education inspired me for life; Phil Abrahmi who taught me that the pursuit of truth is the primary point of any research; Michael Hochsemann who introduced me to the world of cultural studies; The students I have learned so much from over the course of this study and the course of my twenty-two years of teaching; I must also acknowledge every teacher I ever had who didn‟t give up on me when I was ready to give up on myself. GIRLS DON”T DO WIRES v Dedication To my wife Clare who had to put up with my two year affair with “Thesora”; My son Joshua who acted as a sounding board and helped transcribe my interviews; My son Ethan who drew the cover image and kept reminding me that I was supposed to be having fun; and finally, to all the girls who speak the grammar of film. GIRLS DON”T DO WIRES ii Table of Contents Abstract .......................................................................................................................................... ii Acknowledgments ........................................................................................................................ iii Dedication...................................................................................................................................... iv Table of contents ............................................................................................................................ v List of figures …........................................................................................................................... vii CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY ...................................................................... 1 The autobiography of a question …………………........................................................................ 1 Objectives of the study.....................................................................................................................3 The study......................................................................................................................................... 6 Situating myself in the Study…...................................................................................................... 8 Potential Benefits of the study.......................................................................................................11 The QEP........................................................................................................................................ 13 The digital divide redefined.......................................................................................................... 15 Definition of Terms ...................................................................................................................... 16 Thesis Organization ..................................................................................................................... 19 CHAPTER 2 REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE........................................................................ 21 Another problem without a name................................................................................................. 22 Roots of indifference and possible solutions……........................................................................ 27 Representations of women in media……..................................................................................... 32 Research into Women and Media……........................................................................................ 38 Communication is the key............................................................................................................ 46 Research into girls‟ film production............................................................................................. 54 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................... 64 CHAPTER 3 METHODOLOGY……….....................................................................................66 Grounded Theory.......................................................................................................................... 66 Data collection ............................................................................................................................. 70 Who are the producers. ................................................................................................................ 71 The survey....................................................................................................................................