The language we use every day is important, because it determines and reinforces our perceptions of people and things. The same can be said for the language Dojo organisers use to describe their sessions in their communications.
Research has shown that girls respond better when certain elements of programming are highlighted over others. CoderDojo Scotland conducted research into the event pages of their Dojos: they categorised and analysed pages from events of 2012-2016, and cross-referenced the results with the gender balance of the events. This revealed that descriptions which were specific and emphasized creativity were more likely to attract girls. Conversely, descriptions which emphasized competition or showcasing of work, or which used jargon were much less likely to attract girls.
Writing Dojo descriptions aimed at girls
When creating events for your Dojo, you should actively emphasize creativity, specificity, and familiarity.
Describe activities in a way that highlights the opportunity for being creative, emphasising that attendees can make something new and of specific interest to them. Examples include activities which incorporate music (Sonic Pi) or art and design (Scratch).
Ensure that you are describing activities in terms of clearly defined goals, e.g. ‘we will make X’, or ‘we will do Y’. Avoid general descriptions like ‘you can explore coding’ or ‘you will be able to work on your own projects’.
Does the description connect the activity to non-computing terms and concepts with which people are likely to be familiar and comfortable? For example, ‘writing stories’, ’sharing with friends’, or ‘jelly babies’.
When writing your event description, it is useful to mention that attendees can bring a friend. Girls are often influenced by peers, so having a friend come to the Dojo can make the environment seem more welcoming.
Language to avoid
There are some terms you should avoid using heavily, as event descriptions which include these have been shown to attract low numbers of girls.
Jargon: does the language in the description contain words or phrases only known to people who are already familiar with a topic? These might refer to computing (e.g. ‘CSS’, ‘HTML’, ‘scripting’, ‘prototype’), or to another element of the activity (e.g. ‘dubstep’ - music; ‘Dutch angle’ – film; ‘protagonist’ - literature).
Competition: is the event described in a way which makes it sound like a contest (e.g. with terms like ‘the best’, ‘winning’)?
Showcasing: does the description indicate that attendees will have to demonstrate what they know to other people, or even present their work to a group (e.g. phrases like ‘Show us what you can do’, ‘Come and share your computing knowledge’)?
2.2 Images
When promoting your Dojo on social media, in local papers, by email or using leaflets, it’s useful to include a photo or photos of what the event might look like. Like wording, the images you use to illustrate your Dojo are important. While more engaging than text, photos, videos, and other images strongly impact the external perception of your Dojo. It is vital that your images highlight how open, fun, and inclusive your Dojo is.
Tips for collecting diverse images
If you have a photographer coming to the Dojo, be sure that they take images which represent the range of genders, ethnicities, and ages of your Ninjas.
If you have a very low number of girls attending your Dojo, utilising your girls table or holding a girls event can be useful for collecting images of female Ninjas.
How can I be certain images are as appealing to girls as to boys?
Make sure both boys and girls are present in the images you share.
Share several images, so assumptions aren’t based on one snapshot.
Use images of children/teens having fun, laughing.
Publish photos highlighting a variety of projects, including creative and visual activities.