Workshop Toolkit

effective use of the film

		To purchase a DVD or VHS copy of The Gender Chip Project, visit the Women Make Movies website www.wmm.com, call (212) 925-0606 x360 or email orders@wmm.com

By providing an intimate glimpse into the lives of real people, this documentary film provides a perspective often not found in mainstream media, and it allows viewers to personally connect to an issue that might otherwise seem distant or abstract. The compelling narratives of the students featured in The Gender Chip Project unearth a number of important questions concerning young women’s involvement in STEM. The moving accounts of their trials and triumphs also have the potential to open the hearts and minds of viewers — and move them to action. We’ve listed some suggestions for helping you get the most out of your screening.

	Immediately following the screening, allow participants to express their feelings about the film. It’s a good idea to let people release their emotions or share strong responses up front. This clears the way for productive dialogue. Remind participants that the purpose of the session is not to critique the film – the film is the conversation starter, the springboard for the discussion and problem-solving you hope to accomplish. The Gender Chip Project contains many themes related to girls and STEM – the influence of parents and teachers, the experience of being a minority, the process of making academic and career choices, the challenge of balancing work and family, to name a few. So it’s important to focus your discussion. Choose your discussion questions strategically and keep your audience on topic. If conversation strays, ask a question about the film to bring participants back to the topic at hand. Don’t let your screening be a passing event! Make sure it concludes with a call to action, whether it’s signing up professional women to be mentors, organizing an all-girl outing to a local technology company or research lab or forming a girls’ recruitment committee at your school or after-school program.