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Ada-Lovelace-Project Koblenz, Germany

The Ada-Lovelace-Project (ALP) and its contribution to

UPDATE

Dr. Martina Endepohls-Ulpe, University Koblenz-Landau, Department of Psychology

Judith Ebach, University of Applied Science, Remagen, Central Coordination of the Ada-Lovelace-Project

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What‘s the aim of the ALP?

The Ada-Lovelace-Project intends to motivate girls and young women to choose a career in science, engineering or mathematics.

Female students and young trainees who just went for a technical or scientific career act as mentors for pupils, aged 10 to 20 (mentees).

The Ada-Lovelace Mentors• present themselves as role models• inform the girls about technical and science study courses• sustain their interest for science and technics by technical practice and experiments• enhance the girls‘ confidence in their technical and scientific abilities.The Ada-Lovelace-Project also informs the social environment of the girls about the good professional chances of technical and science professions. Teachers and parents should support the girls and young women in their decision for technical or science fields of activity.

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Who was Ada-Lovelace?

Ada Countess of Lovelace (1815-1852), birth name: Ada Byron

The name of the English mathematician Ada Lovelace was chosen for the project because she invented mathematical programming for the “calculating engines” of Charles Babbage, and therefore is respected as a software pioneer.

Ada-Lovelacecalculating engine

She is a role model for the mentors and the mentees in the project

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The Structure of the ALP

Mentors (female)Mentors (female)Students and trainees in math, engineering

or science careers

CoordinatorCoordinator

female studentsfemale students (age 10 to 19)

Pedagogical Pedagogical trainertrainer

Cooperation with:

- teaching staff

- parents

- vocational guidance counsellors

- companies

- universities

coordinates the activities

Offer information and practices

Trains the mentors for social competencies

at each university of RLP

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What does the ALP offer to the girls?

The Ada-Lovelace-mentors offer:

- Visiting the girls at school and telling them about their own decision for science or technical studies

- Practical workshops, e.g. programming robots, soldering simple circuits

- Chemical experiments

- Summer camps at university with experiments and workshops

- Information about careers in mathematic, engineering and science on profession fairs

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Where is the ALP located?

11 Universities and universities of applied science at Rhineland-Palatinate

• Bingen

• Kaiserslautern

• Koblenz

• Mainz

• Remagen(Central Coordination and scientific management)

• Trier

• WormsRhineland-Palatinate

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Some Facts and Results

• Since 19997, when the Ada-Lovelace-Project was founded at the University of Koblenz, more than 350 female students of science and engineering engaged in the project as mentors. They contacted more than 60.000 girls.

• Actually, 140 mentors are engaged at 11 universities and universities of applied science for the project.

• In 2006, more than 7.500 girls were contacted; 330 workshops were offered for more than 3000 participants.

• Quality management is practiced by

– continuous questionnaires for pupils asking for acceptance and relevance of the activity participated

– training the mentors for their social skills, e.g. presentation, communication and didactic

– several evaluation studies focussing on special activities or aspects of the project.

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How is the ALP financed?

- Department of Science of Rhineland-Palatinate

- Department of Employment of Rhineland-Palatinate

- Department of Women of Rhineland-Palatinate

- European Social Fonds

- sponsored by several organisations and companies

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Ada Lovelace Project: Contribution to UPDATE

WP1: Methodology

WP3: Studies about the technology contents of lower grade curricula (Grade 1 to 4), pilot case studies, training of teacher students

WP5: Design and develop materials and practises

WP6: Development of contents of a holistic curriculum and new learning environment

WP7: Dissemination & exploitation of best practices

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Starting position

• Girls interest in technology, science and mathematics already decreases dramatically at the end of their primary school years and their performance in e. g. mathematics is lower than that of the boys (as documented in a new German study in the primary school sector – VERA).

• Teachers seem to influence this process:- They attribute different abilities to boys and girls for

certain school subjects or courses of study. - Boys and girls are treated differently in classes. - Female teachers feature a very stereotype role model.

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Available Resources

ALP has developed several measures and workshops to enhance girls’ and young women’s interest in technology and science.

ALP is located at several universities in Rhineland-Palatinate which provide courses of study in science and technology as well as in teacher education.

The University of Koblenz is specialized in teacher education (elementary school, 6-10 years) and courses of study for teachers in science and courses of study in computer science.

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Projected Activities

• Analysis of Curricula for grades 1 to 4 in primary school in Rhineland-Palatinate.

• Adaptation of existing measures and workshops from the secondary school level to the lower grade level (e. g. programming robots; soldering simple circuits).

• Development of new methods for the enhancement of girls’ interest in science and technology (e. g. workshop with matters from the areas of physics or chemistry)

• Instruction of teacher students in conducting measures for girls in the lower grades.

• Testing the measures in the form of afternoon courses at primary schools in Rhineland-Palatinate.

• Tentative evaluation of the measures with the objective of the formulation of guidelines for gender appropriate instruction in science in the lower grades.