[Edu-sig] Question ?

[Arthur]

Laura writes - 

> There are too many other factors involved.  But one very significant
> one is that women believe that programming has to do with _math_
> and not with _langauges_.  

We only (or mostly) have our personal experiences as reference points. Or at
least I find it hard not to give my personal experience precedence over
things "known" only second hand.  

So I always have a problem with this analysis.

My elder sister, who asked my parents for little, at the age of 13 or 14
asked my parents to buy her the "World of Mathematics". It was 3 volumes,
and at the time, only available in hardcover, so it merited a special
request.

And there didn't seem anything particularly unusual about this request, as
other of her friends shared her interest.  One, that I re-met fairly
recently, went on to become a mathematician/programmer and currently teaches
programming at the college level (and apparently married and divorced - in
the meantime - someone considered to be one of the more eminent living
mathematicians).

My sister went on to a very high-powered career unrelated to math, but one
which a generation ago was an almost exclusive domain of men. And she, more
than once, has expressed envy that my less high-powered career has left me
in a position to take the time to explore and learn a bit about programming.
Something she would love to be able to do.

If anything, I would re-assert a theory that it is not mathematics, but the
unimaginative way mathematics tends to be presented in the curriculum, that
has women (statistically) going on to other things.

And it is central to my view, that rather than try to further disconnect
math and programming, we should be moving in the exact opposite direction.
Making them related experiences, that enliven each other.

So, Laura, we seem to represent almost opposite viewpoints.  Which - so
far;) - we manage to do as friends. Which is nice.

Art