Monthly Archives: March 2011

Boys need more games? Gender or boring curriculum?

Here's one for you to think about. Ali Carr-Chellman speaks about the need to capture boys' attention in classrooms by adding video games. But is she describing a true gender difference or the need to capture ALL students attention by updating teaching technologies, methods, and capturing the imagination of ALL students. What do you think?

Ali Carr-Chellman: Gaming to re-engage boys in learning | Video on TED.com
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The Gender Companion, copyright 2011 – Dr. Jessica Motherwell McFarlane, Ph.D. This blog is a companion site for the Psychology of Gender Online, UBC. Creative commons attribution, non-commercial sharing only (translation: feel free to quote me in context or use this entry but please always credit me for my work, thanks.)http://thegendercompanion.blogspot.com/ See also Psyc 320 course description: http://ctlt.ubc.ca/distance-learning/courses/psyc/psyc320/

Push-Up Bikini top for 7 yr old girls???

Are you stuck for a gender topic to journal about? How about this topic: here is a video link shared with our class by Wenny C (thank you!) about Abercrombie executive's marketing a padded bikini top for very young girls. It is easy to see what is wrong with this product. But my guess is that Abercrombie's owners are betting there are unconscious and persuasive complexities at work in the relationships between the young-insecure-girls and their parents-with-purchasing-power that makes this sexualized marketing potentially lucrative for the company owners. Or is this just an outrageous scheme to grab consumers attention? After much controversy, company owners have stopped marketing the padded swimsuit to preteens (news article, "Abercrombie padded bikini for preteens stirs up fuss")

So here is your (optional) journal prompt: get your journal and pen, clear your mind, tune into YOUR self, and then watch the following video. Pay close attention to YOUR feelings and thoughts as you watch the news cast. When you are done, write about YOUR whole experience of and reaction to this video.
Ready, set, go write ...

Will social media’s "like" be more useful than gender?

Joanna Blakely claims that our use of social media (in which women significantly surpass men's use) will cause us to care less about gender and more about what a person "likes." But do you believe her predictions? Will gender become obsolete or not -- comment below to add YOUR prediction ...

Johanna Blakley: Social media and the end of gender | Video on TED.com
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The Gender Companion, copyright 2011 – Dr. Jessica Motherwell McFarlane, Ph.D. This blog is a companion site for the Psychology of Gender Online, UBC. Creative commons attribution, non-commercial sharing only (translation: feel free to quote me in context or use this entry but please always credit me for my work, thanks.)http://thegendercompanion.blogspot.com/ See also Psyc 320 course description: http://ctlt.ubc.ca/distance-learning/courses/psyc/psyc320/

Focus on failure, not "perfection"

Women and men receive constant messages to be "perfect." But we all know the "perfect man" and the "perfect woman" don't exist. Today I am sharing this great speech by J.K. Rowling about the great importance of making mistakes, experiencing failure, finding another way, and using your imagination to make a better world.



J.K. Rowling Speaks at Harvard Commencement from Harvard Magazine on Vimeo.
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The Gender Companion, copyright 2011 – Dr. Jessica Motherwell McFarlane, Ph.D. This blog is a companion site for the Psychology of Gender Online, UBC. Creative commons attribution, non-commercial sharing only (translation: feel free to quote me in context or use this entry but please always credit me for my work, thanks.)http://thegendercompanion.blogspot.com/ See also Psyc 320 course description: http://ctlt.ubc.ca/distance-learning/courses/psyc/psyc320/

"It Gets Better" — Love, Pixar

There is so much love in this video made by Pixar employees. This video is for any youth who faces bullying for being GLBT or just "Being Different" -- and for the folks who love them.
It really does get better.
enjoy!



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The Gender Companion, copyright 2011 – Dr. Jessica Motherwell McFarlane, Ph.D. This blog is a companion site for the Psychology of Gender Online, UBC. Creative commons attribution, non-commercial sharing only (translation: feel free to quote me in context or use this entry but please always credit me for my work, thanks.)http://thegendercompanion.blogspot.com/ See also Psyc 320 course description: http://ctlt.ubc.ca/distance-learning/courses/psyc/psyc320/

It Gets Better Canada

I love the "It gets Better" series because each and every video leaves me feeling full of HOPE!
Here are some famous Canadians reaching out to youth to say, "It gets Better."
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The Gender Companion, copyright 2011 – Dr. Jessica Motherwell McFarlane, Ph.D. This blog is a companion site for the Psychology of Gender Online, UBC. Creative commons attribution, non-commercial sharing only (translation: feel free to quote me in context or use this entry but please always credit me for my work, thanks.)http://thegendercompanion.blogspot.com/ See also Psyc 320 course description: http://ctlt.ubc.ca/distance-learning/courses/psyc/psyc320/

Jan2011 class journal schedule change

Gender class of Jan2011,


Because I still have a heavy marking load for the Sep10 class, I am pushing off the due date for your first journals. If you have already submitted journal#1 and would like me to send it back so you can work on it some more, please send me a message.

Here is the new journal submission schedule:
Journal #1 due April 3 at 9 PM
Journal #2 due May 22 at 9 PM
Journal #3 due July 17 at 9 PM

I hope this change of plan works for you.
cheers
Jessica
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The Gender Companion, copyright 2011 – Dr. Jessica Motherwell McFarlane, Ph.D. This blog is a companion site for the Psychology of Gender Online, UBC. Creative commons attribution, non-commercial sharing only (translation: feel free to quote me in context or use this entry but please always credit me for my work, thanks.)http://thegendercompanion.blogspot.com/ See also Psyc 320 course description: http://ctlt.ubc.ca/distance-learning/courses/psyc/psyc320/