$50.00
From Aug. 8-11 this past summer, Bowling Green State University hosted “The Digital Mirror,” a computer camp for girls in grades 6-8. The four-day camp was intended to pique girls’ interest in digital literacy at a critical age developmentally, and allow them to explore the ways they define themselves within technological environments.
Co-sponsored by the Department of English and supported by BGSU’s Institute for the Study of Culture and Society, COSI Toledo, and the American Association of University Women, the camp was a huge success with twenty girls from Northwest Ohio gathering for four days of fun and learning on Bowling Green’s campus. Participants included junior high girls from Toledo, Maumee, Ostego, North Baltimore, and Bowling Green schools.
Through a blend of hands-on computer lab work, mentoring by University women involved in careers in technology, and access to the resources of COSI Toledo, the camp engaged girls in an exploration of how technological literacy is a vital part of their academic and professional careers.
Campers spent much of the time learning and experimenting with a variety of software including Adobe Dreamweaver and Photoshop, Apple iMovie, and GarageBand. And the girls put their new skills to work developing personal webpages and blogs and filming and editing movies to embed on their websites.
Many girls created their own songs, scanned pictures of family and friends, and linked to their favorite sites on the Internet, allowing for a sense of creativity and individuality. On the final day of camp, parents were invited to participate in a studio review as campers showcased their digital portfolios, complete with homepage, personal weblog, and a video clip about the role of technology in their lives.
