Discovering, Developing, Teaching

2020 ◽  
pp. 143-158
Author(s):  
Bill Emmott
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Gender Gap ◽  
Role Models ◽  
Female Students ◽  
Consumer Electronics ◽  
Admission Rates ◽  
Science Technology ◽  
And Mathematics ◽  
The University ◽  
National Universities

A common gender stereotype holds that women are less suitable to be scientists than men even though there is no evidence for this proposition. In Japan, a big gender gap in STEM subjects in high school translates into low numbers of female students studying science at university and low admission rates of females to national universities for which all applicants for all degrees are required to sit an exam in science. But role models do exist to encourage the younger generation, and some national universities are trying hard to encourage more female students to study science, technology, and mathematics. Interviews with three role models who took science degrees and went on to successful careers in academia, finance, and consumer electronics, show that barriers are considerable but that they can be overcome. An interview with the president of Nagoya University, Matsuo Seiichi, examines what the university is doing to try to close the gender gap.

scholarly journals Pursuing gender equality in Astronomy in basic education: the case of the project “Girls in the Museum of Astronomy and Related Sciences”

2019 ◽  
Vol 200 ◽  
pp. 02010
Author(s):  
Sandra Benitez-Herrera ◽  
Patrícia F. Spinelli ◽  
Sonia Mano ◽  
Ana Paula Germano
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Scientific Knowledge ◽  
Role Models ◽  
Basic Education ◽  
Female Students ◽  
Young Females ◽  
Scientific Careers ◽  
Science Technology ◽  
Intellectual Capacity ◽  
And Mathematics

It is well known that the number of women in scientific careers is significantly lower than the number of men, especially in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) areas. Considering that science should be used for the benefit of all, by excluding women from the production process of scientific knowledge, we are giving up of 50% of the intellectual capacity to different science fields. Thus, the Museum of Astronomy and Related Sciences, whose mission is to expand society's access to scientific knowledge, promotes the project "Girls in the Museum", aimed at the continuous education of seven high-school female students in topics of astronomy with the goal of stimulating them into liking science. Concurrently with the project, interviews were conducted to evaluate the initiative according to the participants' perspectives, as well as to understand their perceptions about science prior and after six months of the project. We found that the participants were satisfied with the format and content of the project, comprised of theoretical talks and practical workshops. The resulting discourses show that they now view science as something closer to their lives and are more confident to promote scientific discussions. These results show the importance of providing young females with role models they can look up, especially at the age when they are about to make decisions concerning their future career.

scholarly journals Factors that Influence High School Female Students’ Intentions to Pursue Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Education in Malaysia

2021 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
M Sultana Alam ◽  
Sadia Sajid ◽  
Jin Kuan Kok ◽  
Mobashar Rahman ◽  
Aamir Amin
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Stem Education ◽  
Gender Gap ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Female Students ◽  
Outcome Expectancy ◽  
Independent Variables ◽  
Science Technology ◽  
And Mathematics ◽  
The Impact

Despite the increase in the number of female students in education indicating a reversal in the gender gap, their participation in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education in Malaysia is still a matter of concern. This study extends empirical explanations for this gender gap and identifies factors influencing high school students’ intentions to pursue Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education in Malaysia. The present study aims to develop a framework of female intention to pursue STEM education by examining the impact of five independent variables on STEM self-efficacy and in turn the impact of self-efficacy on intention. The independent variables include attitude towards STEM, self-concept, gender stereotype, motivation, and teacher stereotypes. The study also examines the independent and moderating impact of career outcome expectancy on the relationship between self-efficacy and intention. Data was collected from 211 secondary school female students in Forms 4 and 5, studying at eight secondary schools in two states in Malaysia. The data was analyzed using SmartPLS. The results of the study show that attitude, motivation, and career outcome expectancy are positive and are significant predictors of STEM self-efficacy, whereas gender and teacher stereotypes are the negative predictors. The results of the study also highlight that self-efficacy is a strong predictor of intention to pursue STEM education. These findings of the study would assist policymakers to develop suitable strategies to improve female participation in STEM education in Malaysia.

scholarly journals Multimedia Analysis of Spanish Female Role Models in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (22) ◽  
pp. 12612
Author(s):  
Sonia Verdugo-Castro ◽  
Alicia García-Holgado ◽  
María Cruz Sánchez-Gómez ◽  
Francisco José García-Peñalvo
Keyword(s):  
Gender Gap ◽  
Women Professionals ◽  
Role Models ◽  
Research Work ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Traditional Gender Roles ◽  
Science Technology ◽  
Choice Of Studies ◽  
And Mathematics ◽  
And Training

Horizontal segregation in the higher education framework is a problem that goes up in the work environment. Women are assuming traditional gender roles due to phenomena such as the threat of stereotyping, which prevents them from opting for higher studies in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). This research work arises within the project W-STEM, “Building the Future of Latin America: Involving Women in STEM”. The research aims to investigate women’s academic and professional development in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) through their personal experience in making career-related decisions. The research was developed by applying a qualitative method. During the year 2020, video semi-structured interviews were conducted with twenty-one women professionals in the STEM field. Of the twenty-one participants, six are linked to science, eight to technology, fifteen to engineering and one to mathematics. Due to their research lines, some of them are located in more than one STEM area, for example, in technology and engineering. These women were interviewed about their choice of studies and training, their jobs, professional achievements, family and social environment and their perspective on the gender gap in STEM. They all agree on horizontal segregation and consider it necessary to motivate girls and young women to study what they like. Furthermore, they all show passion for their work.

scholarly journals Gender Differences in Academic Efficacy across STEM Fields

2021 ◽  
pp. 073112142110286
Author(s):  
Jennifer Ashlock ◽  
Miodrag Stojnic ◽  
Zeynep Tufekci
Keyword(s):  
Gender Differences ◽  
Gender Gap ◽  
Meaning Making ◽  
Stem Fields ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Science Technology ◽  
Middle Schoolers ◽  
Self Assessments ◽  
Math Grades ◽  
And Mathematics

Cultural processes can reduce self-selection into math and science fields, but it remains unclear how confidence in computer science develops, where women are currently the least represented in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). Few studies evaluate both computer skills and self-assessments of skill. In this paper, we evaluate gender differences in efficacy across three STEM fields using a data set of middle schoolers, a particularly consequential period for academic pathways. Even though girls and boys do not significantly differ in terms of math grades and have similar levels of computer skill, the gender gap in computer efficacy is twice as large as the gap for math. We offer support for disaggregation of STEM fields, so the unique meaning making around computing can be addressed.

scholarly journals Optimistic Fiction as a Tool for Ethical Reflection in STEM

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathryn Strong Hansen
Keyword(s):  
Science Fiction ◽  
Stem Education ◽  
Role Models ◽  
Professional Ethics ◽  
Ethical Issues ◽  
Ethical Reflection ◽  
Field Of Study ◽  
Science Technology ◽  
And Mathematics ◽  
Ethics Guidelines

AbstractGreater emphasis on ethical issues is needed in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. The fiction for specific purposes (FSP) approach, using optimistic science fiction texts, offers a way to focus on ethical reflection that capitalizes on role models rather than negative examples. This article discusses the benefits of using FSP in STEM education more broadly, and then explains how using optimistic fictions in particular encourages students to think in ethically constructive ways. Using examples of science fiction texts with hopeful perspectives, example discussion questions are given to model how to help keep students focused on the ethical issues in a text. Sample writing prompts to elicit ethical reflection are also provided as models of how to guide students to contemplate and analyze ethical issues that are important in their field of study. The article concludes that the use of optimistic fictions, framed through the lens of professional ethics guidelines and reinforced through ethical reflection, can help students to have beneficial ethical models.

The Role of Prototype Matching in Science Pursuits: Perceptions of Scientists That Are Inaccurate and Diverge From Self-Perceptions Predict Reduced Interest in a Science Career

2018 ◽  
Vol 44 (6) ◽  
pp. 881-898 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erin McPherson ◽  
Bernadette Park ◽  
Tiffany A. Ito
Keyword(s):  
Gender Gap ◽  
Science Career ◽  
Science Interest ◽  
Self Perceptions ◽  
Science Technology ◽  
Prototype Matching ◽  
Perceptions Of Students ◽  
And Mathematics ◽  
Representative Member

Self-to-prototype matching is a strategy of mental comparisons between the self-concept and the typical or “representative” member of a group to make some judgment. Such a process might contribute to interest in pursuing a science career and, relatedly, women’s underrepresentation in physical science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (pSTEM) fields. Across four studies, we measured self–scientist discrepancies on communal, agentic, and scientific dimensions, and assessed participants’ interest in a science career. The most consistent predictor of science interest was the discrepancy between self and scientist on the scientific dimension (e.g., intelligent, meticulous). Study 4 established that students with larger self–scientist discrepancies also had less accurate perceptions of students pursuing science, and that inaccuracy was related to lower science interest. Thus, students with lower science interest do not just perceive scientists differently from themselves but also erroneously. Discrepancy and inaccuracy together explained a significant portion of the gender gap in pSTEM interest.

Will We Ever Close the Gender Gap Among Top Mathematics Achievers? Analysis of Recent Trends by Race in Advanced Placement (AP) Exams

2021 ◽  
pp. 016235322110445
Author(s):  
A. Kadir Bahar
Keyword(s):  
Advanced Placement ◽  
Gender Gap ◽  
Gender Disparity ◽  
Gender Disparities ◽  
Women In Science ◽  
Science Technology ◽  
Ap Calculus ◽  
Recent Trends ◽  
Underrepresentation Of Women ◽  
And Mathematics

Analyzing the test scores of more than 10,000,000 students who participated in the Advanced Placement (AP) math exams from 1997 to 2019, this study examined the direction and magnitude of the trend in gender disparity by race in participation in and top achievement on AP Calculus AB, Calculus BC, and Statistics exams. The results of this study indicated that, in general, females’ representation in all three AP exams increased significantly. Although the findings indicated that the female-to-male ratios (FMRs) in participation in the AP math exams increased significantly from 1997 to 2019 and favored females for all races, the gender disparities among top achievers for all math exams are still substantial. The relationships between the FMRs in participation and top achievement for all AP math exams were also analyzed within races, and the possible impacts of these findings within the context of the underrepresentation of women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields were also discussed.

scholarly journals Does Exposure to Gender Role Models Increase Women’s Political Ambition? A Field Experiment with Politicians

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 157-166
Author(s):  
Florian Foos ◽  
Fabrizio Gilardi
Keyword(s):  
Field Experiment ◽  
Gender Gap ◽  
Role Models ◽  
Female Students ◽  
Election Campaign ◽  
Political Ambition ◽  
Female Politicians ◽  
Political Office ◽  
To Receive ◽  
Positive Effect

AbstractThere is a persistent gender gap in motivations to run for political office. While exposure to role models is widely believed to increase women’s political ambition, there is little field experimental evidence on whether exposure to female politicians in realistic settings can increase political ambition. We conducted a field experiment in which a sample of 612 female students was randomly assigned to receive emails inviting them to an event that included career workshops with female politicians, or no email. The treatment increased interest in the ongoing national election campaign, but, against expectations, did not have any positive effect on political ambition. Our results suggest that female politicians who discuss their experience bluntly, instead of following a motivational script, may fail to motivate other women to pursue a political career. These results highlight the need for more research into the type of events and messages that bring more women into politics.

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