CITY: A Game to Raise Girls’ Awareness About Information Technology

Abstract

Worldwide there is a significant under-representation of females considering Information Technology (IT), and more in general STEM, as a career option. The missing women in IT have long been a topic of concern and several factors are known to contribute to this gender gap. Among the factors identified in the literature, there is a misconception of the role of IT and its role in everyday life. In turn, this might result in a decrease in interest. The aim of this research is to explore the possibility to increase girls´ awareness about IT in an accessible and engaging way. With this objective, the paper presents the design of CITY, a game concept aiming at explaining the role that technology plays in everyday life. The paper also presents the evaluation of the game.