The article outlines the gender and diversity gap within the tech sector in Canada. It includes data that demonstrate the gap as well as data that show the contributions gender and diversity make.

Appropriate Subject Area(s):

Marketing, entrepreneurship, equity

Key Questions to Explore:

• Why is there a gender gap in the tech sector?

Materials needed:

Copies of the article

Introduction to lesson and task:

This lesson explores the gender gap and has students propose some solutions.

Action (lesson plan and task):

• Organize a class debate: Does Canada’s technology industry have a gender gap? Have students use Debatoria (available free through Itunes) or debategraph (available free on line with a sign-up)  to organize their debate.
• Have two or three students from each side of the debate sit at the front of the class to lead the debate. If someone from the floor wants to comment, they need to come to the front and sit in an empty chair.  Once they have commented, the chair gets vacated for another student who wants to comment.
• Once the debate comes to a conclusion, debrief with the class
• Distribute the article for reading.
• Have students compare some of the arguments they made to those in the article.

Consolidation of Learning:

• Have students write a one-minute paper on how they feel about the gender gap.

Success Criteria:

• Students understand that there is a gender gap and begin to think about ways to overcome it.

Confirming Activity:

• Have students work in diverse teams to develop a plan to close the gender gap within the tech sector.  They might think about engaging school age children, their peers or workplaces in addressing this gap.  Encourage them to think long term and creatively about how to solve this problem.