Share Paper: Virtual outreach through virtual worlds: A model for attracting and keeping women in computing

1. Jan Mahar, The Pennsylvania State University, United States
2. Margaret Corbit, Cornell University, United States
3. Jennifer Wofford, Cornell University, United States

Abstract: This Best Practices session will detail a trial site implementation of a virtual world outreach program at Penn State University. Under the direction of a PSU faculty member, volunteer instructors were recruited from the Information Sciences and Technology (IST) student organization Women in IST (WIST) to develop and carry out an informal educational program, “Virtual Adventures,” for area middle school girls. Under the leadership of a WIST undergraduate student, not only did the team of undergraduate WIST members help create a program syllabus, they developed a video and other marketing materials to attract the younger students and, then, over the ...