Digital gender gap at the high school level: the case of computer technicians in Mexico

Abstract

The gender gap has generated inequalities in women due to barriers that limit their progress and participation in various areas of their lives. Barriers and inequalities that bound women within the digital world have been identified, generating a fracture called the digital gender gap or gender digital divide. This phenomenon can be maximized or decreased depending on diverse factors such as access to education or development of digital skills. In this regard, a lack of aspirations to select scientific and technical paths among young people has been observed due to this digital fracture. The complexity has been evidenced in young women underestimating their digital abilities and having a technophobia that directly limits their interaction within the digital world. This study presents the results of the digital media literacy level of 124 participants (men=73, women=44, and non-binary students=7) in a technical high school in Mexico related to their educational experience and their perception of activities and school spaces. Men with a positive perception exhibit a higher level of media literacy (M=75.26, SD=11.675) compared to those with a negative perception (M=67.05, SD=15.309). On the other hand, women with a positive perception have a higher level of media literacy (M=77.78, SD=10.744) than women with a negative perception (M=64.25, SD=13.134). These results highlight the importance of promoting activities and school spaces that foster communicative and media skills, especially among women, with the aim of closing the gender gap in the digital realm.