NECC -- Male Vs Female
Grins -- now I am not a feminist in ANYWAY -- please open the door for me, pull out my chair, treat me as special.........but I do notice the differences in the male versus female role in technology and here are a few observations I saw at NECC. (and please realize these are generalities and not absolutes, I don't wish to offend....its just things I noticed.)
The men show and the women share.
It was interesting to visit seminars and poster sessions and view how presenters interacted with their crowd. Most men were anxious to show off what they were doing. There was an attitude of "look what I am doing". At times there was arrogance but most times just a proud pride. However, when asked "How" they did it. Sometimes an aloofness appeared or an attitude of "it would take too long to describe."
On the other hand -- I noticed that when women presented they had TONS of links and a "let me show you how" and a willingness to let the whole world in on their little secrets. There is usually no feeling of "I know it and you don't".
The men were the go-getters and the women were the saunterers.
With the exception of a few women, most of the men are the movers and shakers out there. The ones creating tools for the rest of us to use. The ones writing the books, the ones who you could mention a first name and everyone would know who you were talking about.
The women, on a whole, seem to still be finding our niche. It was very cool that a woman was asked to KeyNote but it was at the last session where many had already gone home or were heading to the airport. We aren't moving at the same fast pace the men are -- and I am not sure if that is a positive or a negative.
Men talk -- women listen
It was quite interesting to sit in sessions and listen to the conversations going on. There are many statistics that say that women talk so much more than men -- well those statisticians have NOT been to the NECC. Men Talk -- and talk and talk and talk. And talk!!! It was very fun to attend some sessions where a group of "high tech users" were speaking and they would talk over each other at times or not even allow a breath to be taken between one person finishing a sentence and another sentence beginning.
On the other hand, you could see women just listening and soaking in WAY more than was usually humanly possible. The information that was traveling around the NECC was staggering.
I noticed this greatly at a "after hours" session I attended. There was one table of 8 with 5 men and 3 women -- now, grins, it might have been that we were tired -- but WOW, did the men talk!!! :)
Finally, there were many similarities as well.
#1 -- We all want the best use of technology to be available to our kids and we want them using it as best as they can.
#2 -- When something is GOOD, we boast about it......Moodle, Open Source, Blogging
#3 -- We are proud of our accomplishments!
#4 -- We realize that technology does NOT have to be hard.
#5 -- We remain frustrated that others just "don't seem to get it yet"!
#6 -- We are fascinated with technology and its impact on our lives and the world around us.
and those are my thoughts for today!
:)
Jen
Technorati Tags:
necc2006 necc06
The men show and the women share.
It was interesting to visit seminars and poster sessions and view how presenters interacted with their crowd. Most men were anxious to show off what they were doing. There was an attitude of "look what I am doing". At times there was arrogance but most times just a proud pride. However, when asked "How" they did it. Sometimes an aloofness appeared or an attitude of "it would take too long to describe."
On the other hand -- I noticed that when women presented they had TONS of links and a "let me show you how" and a willingness to let the whole world in on their little secrets. There is usually no feeling of "I know it and you don't".
The men were the go-getters and the women were the saunterers.
With the exception of a few women, most of the men are the movers and shakers out there. The ones creating tools for the rest of us to use. The ones writing the books, the ones who you could mention a first name and everyone would know who you were talking about.
The women, on a whole, seem to still be finding our niche. It was very cool that a woman was asked to KeyNote but it was at the last session where many had already gone home or were heading to the airport. We aren't moving at the same fast pace the men are -- and I am not sure if that is a positive or a negative.
Men talk -- women listen
It was quite interesting to sit in sessions and listen to the conversations going on. There are many statistics that say that women talk so much more than men -- well those statisticians have NOT been to the NECC. Men Talk -- and talk and talk and talk. And talk!!! It was very fun to attend some sessions where a group of "high tech users" were speaking and they would talk over each other at times or not even allow a breath to be taken between one person finishing a sentence and another sentence beginning.
On the other hand, you could see women just listening and soaking in WAY more than was usually humanly possible. The information that was traveling around the NECC was staggering.
I noticed this greatly at a "after hours" session I attended. There was one table of 8 with 5 men and 3 women -- now, grins, it might have been that we were tired -- but WOW, did the men talk!!! :)
Finally, there were many similarities as well.
#1 -- We all want the best use of technology to be available to our kids and we want them using it as best as they can.
#2 -- When something is GOOD, we boast about it......Moodle, Open Source, Blogging
#3 -- We are proud of our accomplishments!
#4 -- We realize that technology does NOT have to be hard.
#5 -- We remain frustrated that others just "don't seem to get it yet"!
#6 -- We are fascinated with technology and its impact on our lives and the world around us.
and those are my thoughts for today!
:)
Jen
Technorati Tags:
necc2006 necc06
posted by JenW at 8:41 AM
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