Gender-Related Preferences for Learning by Tinkering: Updated Research is Needed

Abstract

Imagine you open a new application on your computer for the first time, and a help wizard appears on the screen. Do you follow the step-by-step tutorial, or do you dismiss it and tinker with the interface? Previous studies show that designing for both types of users yields a more gender-inclusive design. This paper explores the question: if those studies were based on participants born several technology-generations earlier, does this research need an update? Children now have greater access to smartphones and STEM outreach opportunities than before, which may have shifted girls’ technology learning preferences. This research found that most studies about gender and tinkering were conducted before 2006, revealing a research gap about younger generations. Future work could explore whether preferences to learn by process or by tinkering are still disproportionately represented in different genders. This work has implications for how human factors professionals design gender-inclusive products and training.