Mary Harrsch (mharrsch@oregon.uoregon.edu)
Fri, 02 Apr 1999 14:03:06 -0800
Date: Fri, 02 Apr 1999 14:03:06 -0800 From: Mary Harrsch <mharrsch@oregon.uoregon.edu> Subject: gender equity in technology access
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Dr. Catherine Burke wrote:
"I know from my own experience that personal space in the home is a
prerequisite for
personal development, and how difficult that is to achieve. I would like
to suggest that access to space, time and technology is an issue for
women and is therefore of central importance in any discussion of
computer supported learning. Accessing the technology which may exist in
the home, taking up space within the household (and indeed within the
computer )and using time in pursuit of personal interest or gain is
problematic for many women."
I share your experience, Catherine, and that of many other women juggling a
career with family responsibilities in that it seems to have always been a
struggle to reserve time to engage in personal interests as a wife and
mother. Furthermore, it seems the introduction of technology has stepped up
the tension over the issue. My experience is a little unique because I have
the highest degree of technology literacy in our family as my husband is not
particularly interested in computers. So, although I had to share a
computer with my son when he was still living at home, once he left I had
the computer pretty much all to myself. But, my husband seems to feel he
must compete with the computer (as an entity) for my time. Consequently, I
must plan my technology activities around times he feels should be reserved
for interaction with him. Working on the computer after I get home from
work is practically "verboten" ("You've been on a computer all day at work -
enough is enough") and trying to watch technology related programs like
ZDnet is out of the question unless he has already gone to bed .
That only leaves me with the weekend to engage in technology activities of
my own choosing (working on personal web pages, evaluating games, scripting
my artificial intelligence entity, composing music) I try to rise early on
Saturday morning so I can get all of my routine housework done and have at
least Saturday afternoon and Sunday for personal time. Of course this is
also the only time we have to do anything together either. So, I try to
play it by ear based on what he has planned for the weekend. If he is
working on a project in his workshop, I am free to work on my own projects.
If he decides to stay inside and watch television, I can usually work on the
computer for a while but before long he lets me know (by grumbling or body
language) that my physical separation into my own space is making him feel
deserted. (After my children grew up and moved away from home I set up my
office in my son's room, decorating it with my science fiction collectibles
so it is really like my own special place now). I realize my enthusiasm
for technology could overwhelm me so it is probably helpful in some ways to
have a restraining influence. But, it feels like walking a tightrope
sometimes.
Mary Harrsch
Network and Information Systems Manager
College of Education
102-K Education
University of Oregon
Eugene, OR 97403
(541) 346-3554
http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~mharrsch/index.htm
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