Blog Entry #6 - Female Interest in STEM Learning
This year while teaching at a STEM school I noticed firsthand the discrepancy between male and female students enrolled in our program. In each of my seventh-grade classes, I had 27 students total with only 9 females compared to 18 males. So, the question I am exploring today in my blog post is:
How can we encourage females to participate in STEM based programs that meaningfully integrate technology?
After reading the assigned article The Contradiction and the Challenge of the Educated Women (1991), I was intrigued to learn that traditional education practices were designed exclusively for male learners (Martin, p. 9). This discovery made me question whether STEM education had been exclusively designed for male learners also? After reflecting upon this question, I concluded that Martin said it best in her article when she stated that schools have hidden curriculum which do not encourage women to seek out certain professions (Martin, 1991, p. 19). As we can see from the number of women in STEM positions, females are not often encouraged to seek out these jobs. So, how do we get females more involved in STEM programs? Could we use meaningful technology integration for this?
Gena Henderson, an engineer with NASA claims that in order to increase female participation in STEM programs there needs to be several changes made (Langreo, 2022). First, girls need to have a role model in the field that can show them a road map to success, as well as teach them firsthand about STEM concepts (Langreo, 2022, para. 12). Secondly, females should be introduced to STEM learning at an early age, so that they can experience the technology, math, etc. using hands-on methods that will grow their confidence, abilities and more (Langreo, 2022, para. 14). This is all great information, but I wanted to know what innovative technologies have been successful at engaging females in STEM learning?
The answer to that question came in the article titled Want to Get Girls Interested in STEM Careers? Try Minecraft (Langreo, 2022). In the article, several teachers in Louisiana had successfully started a program called “Girls Who Game,” and received a large level of interest (Langreo, 2022, para. 1). This program provides girls with the opportunity to learn about STEM through Minecraft. Each year, the teachers ask their female students to solve a real-world problem. This year, the students created a sustainable resource world where they focused on “propane-powered vehicles, artificial intelligence, and zero-waste initiatives” (Langreo, 2022, para. 8).
So, it appears that the way to get females involved in STEM learning is to:
- Provide role models in the field that can teach girls successfully
- Introduce females early to STEM learning to grow their skills
- Include technology in meaningful ways to engage and challenge females
Resources
Langreo, L. (2022, July 19). Want girls to pursue stem learning? Hear what female NASA scientists have to say. Education Week. Retrieved July 20, 2022, from https://www.edweek.org/technology/want-girls-to-pursue-stem-learning-hear-what-female-nasa-scientists-have-to-say/2022/07
Langreo, L. (2022, June 29). Want to get girls interested in STEM careers? Try minecraft. Education Week. Retrieved July 20, 2022, from https://www.edweek.org/technology/want-to-get-girls-interested-in-stem-careers-try-minecraft/2022/06
Martin, J. R. (1991). The contradiction and the challenge of the educated woman. Women's Studies Quarterly, 19(1), 6. Retrieved from https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/contradiction- challenge-educated-woman/docview/1292059992/se-2
Megan,
ReplyDeleteIt is interesting to me that you chose this topic to discuss. I was teaching STEM to grades 1-6 from October to March. Whenever I would have students participate in STEM activities, I noticed that the males would, for the most part, take the lead. It was just regular classrooms that would come to my STEM room, so everyone was involved, however, I noticed that the females would just sit back. When I saw you were writing about Female Interest in STEM, I was very intrigued, to say the least. I also thought back to a study that I had read in University about how women are not involved in as many STEM jobs as men. For example, a friend of mine was the only girl in her Engineering classes.
It was nice to read at least three ways to get females involved in STEM. The STEM program in the elementary schools in my local board is new. Some schools had implemented it last year, however, for the most part, this year was the first year. I am hoping that this is considered introducing females early to STEM learning to grow their skills! I found that the best way to get females involved was to make them the leader of their groups. For example, after teaching a coding lesson to code a Dash and Dot Robot, I would hand my female students an iPad to begin coding with their group. I believe once they realized that I wanted them to start with the iPad, they felt much more confident.
I’m excited to see that there is an increasing discussion about involving females in STEM related lessons and occupations. Thanks for sharing!
Hi Megan,
ReplyDeleteYour blog post title caught my eye. One of the courses I teach in high school Biology, and, anecdotally, I feel like there is no big discrepancy between the number of boys and girls who go on to study Bio in post secondary. But your post makes me want to perhaps keep track now :-) or do a student survey at the start of the year and the end: are you interested in a career in STEM? Why or why not?
The story about your friend being the only girl in her engineering classes is wild. In this day and age? What stream of engineering was it?
Also, I am curious about your personal education experience. Did you study STEM in post secondary? Why or why not? I did. Bio. I had a charismatic female Bio teacher in high school, and I was interested in the subject. It was taught in very traditional way, in the 1990s lol. My parents were not very interested in science, although my dad brought home a Tandy 2000 computer at some point, which not many families had at the time. Looking back, my parents did often tell me to go ahead and follow my dreams, to study what I wanted, which was enough support for me.
I don't think much else contributed to my decision to study in the sciences! But I am really glad that research is continuing, and that classrooms are changing. I guess I am happy that we are aware of factors that become obstacles for women. I would be interested in learning more about hidden male curriculum. Thanks for the lead!
Hi Megan,
ReplyDeleteWhat an interesting question you have posed! One of my best friends, taught STEM this year for students Grades 1-6. I do believe when I watched my own students participate in STEM activities, the males would to leading the activities. I think the best way to insure the girls are participating in STEM activities is to activate their passion for it. Making girls the leaders of the group would ensure the girls could become passionate about STEM. Thanks for posting a very engaging question!
Best,
Ashley