Breaking down barriers in design and technology: Recent experiences in Hong Kong gender equity initiatives

This paper will present recent initiatives to increase gender equity in Hong Kong secondary Design & Technology (D&T) programs. First will be a short introduction on the history of D&T in Hong Kong and how gender inequities were manifested throughout the program. Next will be a discussion of the first Hong Kong Pupil's Attitudes Toward Technology study (PATT-HK) that helped lead to changes in program opportunities for secondary school students. This will follow with strategies being undertaken at The Hong Kong Institute of Education to encourage greater female participation in the D&T teacher preparation program. Finally, as a result of the first PATT-HK study, preliminary findings of the second PATT study (PATT2-HK) will be presented, examining the results of having girls now participating in D&T studies at secondary school level for three years. Copyright © 2002 Centre for Technology Education Research, Griffith University and individual contributors.