International Journal of Gender, Science and Technology
GST focuses on gender issues in and of science and technology, including engineering, construction and the built environment, and aims to explore the intersections of policy, practice and research.
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Understanding Successful Engagement of Women and Underrepresented Students in a Multidisciplinary Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE)
A course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE) may attract and retain women and students from underrepresented minority groups in STEM fields early in their academic careers. This paper evaluates the relative success of a multidisciplinary CURE in a quantitative course. We compared background characteristics, course experiences, and outcomes of male and female under-represented (URM) and non-underrepresented students. Male and female URM and non-URM students differed on many pre-course characteristics and post-course self-reported course experiences. However, positive course outcomes and predictors of those outcomes did not differ by URM or gender group, with few exceptions. The Passion-Driven Statistics CURE can equip the future STEM workforce with the data analysis skills and reasoning needed across industries and may influence educational and career trajectories for female and URM students.
Copyright (c) 2025 International Journal of Gender, Science and Technology
Effectiveness of an undergraduate leadership conference in building leadership capabilities of women and non-binary students
The ANU Women* in STEM Leadership Conference, established in 2021, is an annual program that aims to help undergraduate STEM students at the Australian National University (ANU) build their leadership skills, gain networking opportunities and form a stronger community of support. This case study presents an evaluation of the impact of the Conference across two years of attendees, using both interviews and surveys. We show outcomes for participants primarily fall within three areas: networks and connections, resources and information, and leadership and capacity building. Immediately following conference participation, participants showed increases in connection within the STEM community, greater understanding of future pathways available to them and confidence in themselves as STEM students and leaders. Through evaluation of the Conference, we identify lessons learnt regarding the organisation, design and facilitation of the event to ensure longevity of participant outcomes. These findings are also intended to inform the implementation of other gender equity events within the tertiary sector.
This is the Editorial for Gendered Pathways Special Issue Vol 13 No 5
Special Issue: Identifying Barriers and Building Bridges
Copyright (c) 2023 International Journal of Gender, Science and Technology
STEM Image Videos as a Means to Increase Students’ Interest and Utility Value Perception: Does Goal Congruity Matter?
Given the increasing shortage of STEM professionals and decreasing enrolment numbers in STEM degrees, higher education institutions have been seeking ways to attract more students to STEM subjects, particularly women. In two preregistered studies (NStudy1 = 292; NStudy2 = 307), we tested whether STEM image videos can increase (female) students’ domain-specific interest in biomedical engineering (Study 1) and geodesy (Study 2), and the perceived utility value of the respective domains. Building on Goal Congruity Theory, we further examined gender differences in participants’ agentic and communal goal orientations and the effect of agentic and communal video framings on participants’ interest and utility value. Both studies document a positive influence of the videos on students’ domain-specific interest and utility value. Further analyses investigating gender differences showed that women reported, after watching the video, higher interest and utility value in biomedical engineering (Study 1) but lower interest in geodesy (Study 2) than men. In Study 2, no gender differences emerged in domain-specific utility value. Consistent with previous research, women valued communal goals more than men in Study 1, yet no gender differences were found regarding agentic goals in both studies. Hardly any effects of the agentic and communal framings on students’ domain-specific interest and utility value were found, except for the agentic condition in Study 2, where men expressed higher interest in geodesy than women. We discuss the implications of our findings in the context of attracting students to STEM fields.
Copyright (c) 2024 International Journal of Gender, Science and Technology
Gender Differences in Aspirations and Attainment: Towards an Integrative Socio-Ecological Developmental Systems Approach
Significant progress has been made regarding educational and occupational opportunities for women. Yet, gender segregation continues to exist in many domains, including occupational choices, division of household responsibilities, and differences in paid and unpaid labour. A number of explanations have been made to account for the enduring gender inequalities, including gender essentialism, socialisation experiences, prevailing stereotypes, as well as downright discrimination. In this paper, I consider an INtegrative socio-ecological DEvelopmental Systems Approach (INDESA) and argue that for a better understanding of and to effectively address persisting gender inequalities, one must consider the multiple influences that shape individual development over time and in context. Gender differences become evident in early childhood and are perpetuated through everyday interactions with significant others and the wider social context. Small biasing effects can accumulate across different situations and over time, resulting in distinct behavioural pathways for men and women, even for those with similar abilities and social backgrounds. To initiate change in perceptions and behaviour, it is crucial to address multiple interlinked inequalities that occur across the life course and to actively foster policies and institutional reforms that promote equality.
integrative socio-ecological developmental systems approach
Gender differences in STEM choices in Taiwanese higher education: The male-things and female-people interest hypothesis
This study proposes a conceptual framework for gendered processes based on the male-things vs. female-people interest (MTFPI) hypothesis, by identifying gender differences in factors relating to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) choices in higher education. Longitudinal data were from the Taiwan Education Panel Survey (TEPS) for Grade 7 (n = 20,055), 9, 11, and 12 and the follow-up TEPS-Beyond (TEPS-B) for 24-25-year-olds (n = 2,700). Correlation analysis was conducted with weights so that the result can represent that of the original Grade 7 population. The results generally support the MTFPI hypothesis. Males’ STEM choice is related to high mathematics achievement and low frustration in mathematics in all stages of secondary education, high gender stereotyping of their jobs, and low confidence in people-smart skills (e.g., leadership, collaboration with others, and oral expression). Females’ STEM choice is related to mathematics teachers’ clear explanations and desirable interactions in mathematics classrooms. These results generally support the MTFPI hypothesis that males are more interested in things (including achievement), while females enjoy engaging in interaction with people. Educators need to pay attention to the differential interests between genders for adaptive teaching to invite both genders to study STEM in higher education.
The Role of Teacher Constructive Support for Gender Differences in Motivational Outcomes in Secondary School Mathematics
In secondary school mathematics, females often display lower levels of motivational outcomes than males, which can lead to gender gaps in future study or career choice. To reduce these gaps, it is crucial to evaluate which aspects of classroom teaching quality might be involved. Teacher constructive support is one especially promising aspect, as it strongly relates to student motivational outcomes. The present pre-registered study investigates how student gender is related to self-concept, self-efficacy, and interest in secondary school mathematics lessons on the quadratic equation and examines the moderating role of teacher constructive support for this relationship. Using questionnaire data from the Teaching and Learning International Survey Video Study Germany (n = 1,116 secondary school students), we applied latent moderated structural equation models to examine the direct effects as well as the interaction of student gender and constructive support on student motivational outcomes in mathematics lessons. Female gender was negatively associated with self-concept and self-efficacy, but not with interest. Various facets of constructive support were positively associated with motivational outcomes, but no interaction effects with gender were found. These findings are discussed with regard to constructive support and the persisting gender gap in mathematics. Directions for future research are suggested.
Navigating Gender Sensitivity in Robot Design: Unveiling the Challenges and Avoiding Pitfalls
Subtle gender cues play a significant role in determining the contexts or tasks to which robots are preferably assigned. This underscores the importance of gender-sensitive design in developing social robots, a key focus of the RoboGen project. In this project, we aimed to design and develop an assistive socially interactive robot that facilitates gender-sensitive human-robot interaction for older adults. While existing research on gender in Human-Robot Interaction is mainly based on experimental studies, where the robot’s gender is manipulated and participants’ gender assessment is evaluated, we wanted a more contextualized approach. In this article, we report the first phase of the project in which we analyzed requirements for gender sensitivity design through expert interviews as well as a series of workshops with potential senior target users interacting with three different commercially available robotic platforms. Our research demonstrates that gender is a pervasive yet often overlooked factor in Human-Robot Interaction research. Often the gendering process of robots has already taken place before the robots are sold. In our focus groups, we almost found no differences between the three participating groups (women only, men only, mixed) with regard to the two-hour observations of their activities with the robots nor between their statements about the robots. Gender was rarely directly addressed, but circumscribed: It is hidden in statements on the appearance design, voice of robot, name of the robot, tasks the robot is performing etc. Especially with older adults we experienced dominant binary models of gender in their thinking. As also mentioned by our interviewed experts, we see it as our responsibility as researchers to carefully handle these mental models by providing several options of voices (e.g., also a gender-neutral voice), names, tasks the robot performs.
Is there a “STEM Personality” in Germany? Linking Personality Traits with STEM Occupational Aspirations in German Secondary Education
Across countries, young women are less likely to aspire to STEM occupations (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) than young men. Since STEM occupations often entail higher wages, it remains important for researchers to explain gender differences in STEM. In this paper, we examine whether students’ personality traits (Big Five) are associated with expressing preferences for STEM in German secondary education. To examine how girls and boys in secondary education match self-concepts of their personalities with beliefs about shared images of STEM occupations, we generate hypotheses based on Gottfredson’s (1981) theory of Circumscription and Compromise. Associations between personality traits and STEM aspirations are examined by multinomial logistic regression for a cohort of ninth graders from the German National Educational Panel Study (NEPS). The results show that personality traits are differently related to subdomains within STEM occupations, particularly for young women. Increases in all traits lower pupils’ likelihood of aspiring to scientific occupations and lower the likelihood of aspiring to technology aspirations. Despite the small and mostly insignificant effects, our results highlight the gendered processes of occupational formation at this age and underscore the relevance of providing more differentiated vocational guidance by gender and STEM domain.
Challenging Media Stereotypes of STEM: Examining an Intervention to Change Adolescent Girls’ Gender Stereotypes of STEM Professionals
Media play a key role in the cultural reproduction of gender stereotypes of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). This study examined the efficacy of a media-focused intervention to decrease adolescent girls’ gender-STEM -stereotypes and increase their knowledge of STEM careers. An interactive presentation challenging gender-stereotyped images of women STEM professionals in popular media and participation in STEM learning activities featuring interactions with women STEM professionals were part of an out-of-school, informal STEM learning program designed to foster adolescent girls’ interest in STEM. Findings from pre- and post-test Draw-a-Scientist Test (DAST) drawings used to assess perceptions of STEM professionals revealed a decrease in gender-STEM-stereotypes and greater knowledge of types of STEM careers. Findings suggest that creating awareness about gender-STEM-stereotypes in popular media, presenting counter-stereotyped media images of women as STEM professionals, and providing opportunities to engage in STEM activities were crucial for adolescent girls’ development of more inclusive views of women and STEM, which may be essential for seeing themselves as future STEM professionals. Implications for theory and recommendations for informal STEM educators and media practitioners for designing interventions to address, challenge, and change gender-STEM-stereotypes are discussed.
Gendered Gatekeeping in the Recruitment and Support of (Prospective) PhDs and Postdocs in a Mathematical Cluster of Excellence
Gender disparities persist in the field of mathematics in German science and academia. From one scientific career level to the next, the proportion of female scientists decreases and women are still underrepresented in the top positions in science/academia. Gatekeeping is assumed to be one reason for the persistence of this disparity. Gatekeepers influence access to and advancement in the science system: They recruit researchers and provide support in the form of knowledge relevant for career advancement and open the way for further career steps, i.e., they hold an important decision-making position regarding the future of prospective female scientists. The study investigates if and if so, how gender disparities are reinforced in recruitment and support processes by gatekeepers in a mathematical cluster of excellence in Germany. Qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with 44 scientific gatekeepers in leadership positions. The results show how recruitment and support practices, perceptions, and criteria of scientific potential are interwoven with gender stereotypes, thereby creating potential barriers for female PhD students and postdocs.
Why do Women Refrain from IT/ICT studies at Higher Education Institutions?
Solving global and local challenges efficiently requires as many diverse, educated, and knowledge-based viewpoints as possible. Regarding diversity in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), especially in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector, men have dominated the field for decades. Even nowadays, when the study contents have highly diversified, a more significant share of men join STEM studies paths than women. Based on a literature review, we explore and analyze reasons explaining why women choose or do not choose ICT studies at higher education institutions and what challenges they face in this path. The study collected current research-based views and extended the existing views on improving gender diversity in ICT studies. When choosing a future specialization, the society in which the child grew up, the family in which they were brought up, and the traditions they invested in are much more important than their gender. We have analysed the challenges and difficulties faced by women during the STEM pipeline based on the modern academic literature. Our recommendations can be considered and implemented in university and school organizing strategies and implementation models to achieve better gender balance. Researchers, universities, and organizations involved in ICT and STEM can apply our findings to future-proof their efforts to develop more efficient all-gender supportive operational models.
Traditional Gender Role Attitudes in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM): Are STEM Managers More Modern Than Others?
The lack of women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) careers is a multifaceted problem, and there may be various levers for change (e.g., managers’ attitudes). Whereas most previous studies have focused on educational aspects, we targeted later career stages: We measured managers’ gender role attitudes because managers can be a source of support or discrimination. In fact, women in STEM fields report less support and more discrimination than STEM men or non-STEM women do. Using a large and representative data set from the Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP) in Germany, we compared traditional gender role attitudes in STEM versus non-STEM fields with ordered probit regressions and a multiverse analysis. We found that male, older, non-managerial, and non-STEM employees had more traditional gender role attitudes than others. Additionally, we found a gender gap: For men, older employees had more traditional gender role attitudes; for women, age did not matter, but female managers had less traditional gender role attitudes than non-managers. Reasons for this trend might be selection (e.g., women with traditional attitudes might abandon their careers earlier) or socialisation (e.g., female managers’ attitudes may change in male-dominated environments). Implications for women’s careers are discussed.
Investigating Students’ Academic Self-Concepts and Persistence in STEM: How Do Gender Differences Relate to Female Representation?
The research literature often treats STEM subjects as a homogeneous group despite considerable differences in gender composition. This article examines gender differences in students’ academic self-concepts across STEM fields with different shares of female students, and how students’ academic self-concepts affect their graduation likelihood. This paper argues that gender disparities in STEM students’ academic self-concepts favour male students and systematically relate to gender composition in the respective subject. Using student-cohort data from the German National Educational Panel Study (NEPS), I performed regression analyses to predict students’ academic self-concepts and their likelihood of graduating. The study revealed that female students exhibit weaker academic self-concepts only in fields with either low (< 30%) or high (> 50%) female representation, with the latter presenting the larger gender gap. Moreover, students’ academic self-concepts relate to their graduation likelihood in STEM fields with low female presentation. The research underscores the necessity of distinguishing between STEM fields when examining gender disparities in academic self-concepts, challenging the prevalent view of treating STEM as a uniform group.
Managing Work-life Balance: A Study of Social Media Network ‘Engineering Working Moms’
The Engineering Working Moms social networking group is the focus of this study. The group membership is broad, encompassing mothers who are engineers and work outside of the home, but also those who are not currently working, those who work remotely, those between jobs, or those preparing for re-entry. Mainly based in North America, the group is a valuable resource for technical expertise, advice on managing work-life balance and learning the essential skills necessary for navigating life as a technical mother. The researchers conducted a survey of the group to explore their socialization and interactions, specifically their quest for work-life balance. The findings revealed that work-life balance looks different for everyone. Some of the engineers found that limiting their activities was the best option, while others kept a tight schedule on their planners and calendars. Many relied on neighbors, friends, and family to help them schedule activities like carpooling and babysitting. Having a flexible job or a partner with a flexible job also helped significantly. The members of this group all work and care for their families, and they focus on programs and task support that professional organizations and employers can implement to support and retain them in the workforce. The group discusses various issues they face and often delves into the support they receive during pregnancy and childbirth, which is not always clear. This research delved deeper into these issues and highlighted that, while most women felt supported during pregnancy and childbirth, some faced judgmental attitudes from their bosses and co-workers. The issues confronted by the members of this group can inform the development of benefits and programs that employers may consider to attract and retain engineering staff. Additionally, this research provides insight into the interactions and fellowship among women in technical careers, which can help to deepen our understanding of women's socialization.
Styling STEM: How African American Women Cosmetologists Can Help to Reimagine STEM Education
This paper analyzes interviews with African American women cosmetologists who collaborated in designing and implementing a series of community-centered science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education programs to support broadening the participation of Black children in those fields. These collaborations used technologies and media as bridges between STEM knowledge as it appears in schools and STEM knowledge as it has been and is communicated, produced, and used by Black hair care experts. We discuss how acknowledging these experts as knowledge producers who have unique pedagogical expertise not only provides new ways for reimagining STEM fields for Black children, but also helps to acknowledge STEM's existing and generative presence in Black communities. Our findings reveal three ways that this group of African American cosmetologists helped reimagine STEM education: 1) STEM as personal and situated; 2) STEM as a blend of public and community institutions and 3) STEM as community.
Breaking the glass ceiling: perspectives and strategies on gender and research leadership in the health sciences at African higher education institutions
The proportion of women researchers and those holding research leadership positions in the health sciences in Africa has increased but women still remain vastly underrepresented. The current research landscape shows a shift toward large collaborative, transdisciplinary and transnational platforms that require both strong scientific and relational leadership, which many researchers have often not been required or incentivized to develop. Given women’s underrepresentation, this changing landscape may likely have a differential impact as they may not have the experience and confidence to navigate these spaces. This paper will provide perspectives on gender and research leadership from African researchers in the health sciences, and identify the core competencies, skills and experiences needed to be a successful research leader. It will also share strategies and actions that researchers, institutions and funders should adopt when shaping the career development of women researchers and addressing national health challenges at African higher education institutions.
Social Media and STEM Stereotypes: Effects of Seeing Women Scientists with and without Visible Disabilities
As the popularity of social media platforms has grown, STEM professionals have increasingly used them to communicate with broader audiences. The present study builds on the stereotype content model and gender schema theory by testing how exposure to an Instagram image of a woman scientist with a visible disability or an Instagram image of a women scientist without a visible disability shapes stereotypes of scientists. The study also investigates how patterns of social media use predict these stereotypes. The analyses draw on an experiment embedded in a national online survey (N = 1,050). The results indicate that seeing an image of a woman scientist with a visible disability led respondents to perceive scientists as warmer but not as more competent. Similarly, seeing an image of a woman scientist without a visible disability fostered perceptions of scientists as warmer but not as more competent. The results also reveal that overall Instagram use predicted more favorable perceptions of scientists. The findings extend theoretical accounts regarding stereotypes of scientists while also carrying implications for the use of Instagram and other social media platforms to promote positive perceptions of STEM professionals and counter barriers confronting women, including women with disabilities, in STEM professions.
As digital game-making becomes an increasingly popular way to teach computational and design-based thinking and learning, educators must contend with gender-based differences in how students engage with game making. In this study, girls learned more from game making than boys, but that took some doing. Pedagogical innovation cannot be gender-blind, especially when it comes developing students’ essential digital and computational skills. Reported here is a study of grade six students who participated in game making workshops in same-gender groups. Using a mixed-method approach, we examined whether children’s pre-existing biases and previous experiences related to computer science and programming were associated with change in computational knowledge following their participation in an intensive 1-week game design program. We found that all students performed better from pre- to post, that girls learned relatively more from the program than boys, enabling them to both catch up to and exceed boys in pre/post-program assessment. We also found that prior programming knowledge had a significant effect on learning outcomes. Given boys’ historically more frequent and less restricted access to digital games and technology, this prior knowledge effect situates girls at significant disadvantage, one that educators need to acknowledge and address when using game-making as a teaching tool.
Editorial: Addressing Gender Inequities in STEM through Interdisciplinary Perspectives
In this editorial, the Guest Editors overview the papers contained within the Special Issue and discuss synergies between the presented keynotes and individual papers from the 5th biennial Network Gender & STEM Conference, 29–30 July 2021 at the University of Sydney [online]. The Special Issue showcases significant individual contributions from the 5 keynote addresses, 6 empirical studies and 2 case studies. Collectively, it highlights the amplified impact of an assemblage of interdisciplinary perspectives on the diverse issues associated with addressing gender inequities in STEM.
Special Issue: Addressing Gender Inequities in STEM through Interdisciplinary Perspectives
Copyright (c) 2022 International Journal of Gender, Science and Technology
Gender-Inclusive Instructional Practices in University Mathematics Classes
Women have been underrepresented in STEM fields around the world (UNESCO, 2018). Prior research identified some of the reasons for this gender disparity such as systemic barriers, lack of confidence, lack of female role models, and cultural and gendered science stereotypes. These issues have been framed in contemporary literature within the construct of STEM identity. Building upon this literature, our project explored the role of the university classroom in supporting the development of a strong STEM identity and specifically the view of self as a competent science person. The project consisted of two parts. In the first part student-led desktop and empirical research focused on generating evidence-based recommendations for how an introductory Calculus course could be redesigned to be more gender-inclusive. The second pertained to the evaluation of the redesigned Calculus course centered around two main indicators of success: (i) students’ confidence as mathematics learners, and (ii) their intention to continue with STEM education. The project has scientific and practical implications as it contributes evidence towards understanding the kinds of activities that might support university students’ STEM identity development and provides a set of concrete, evidence-based, gender-inclusive instructional practices.
gender; STEM identity; educational practices; higher education; the Netherlands
Keynote Summary: Women in engineering in academia
In her Keynote address, Professor Ana Deletic focused on how the participation of women in engineering practice is one of the lowest of all the professions. She led the development of a number of green nature-based water treatment systems which are now widely adopted in Australia and abroad.
Gender & STEM; engineering; stormwater research
Investigating the Impact of an Outreach Intervention on Girls’ STEM Identity Formation
Previous research demonstrates that developing a STEM identity is key to students achieving long-term engagement with STEM. This paper reports on a 10-week intervention combining the use of mentors with real-world problem-solving activities with the aim to contribute to girls’ STEM identity formation and improve their interest and participation in STEM. The intervention was delivered in nine schools to 200 girls aged 13-16 in the Hunter region, Australia, with the aid of 31 mentors who supported them as they worked in small groups. All participants were invited to complete post-intervention group interviews [30 interviews, 3-6 per group] to gain insight into their perceptions of the importance of STEM subjects, careers, and skills; and to determine whether our program had any effect on those perceptions. Girls demonstrated a sophisticated understanding of societal influences that impacted their relationship to, and likelihood of pursuing STEM careers, including certain barriers such as gender stereotypes. Girls found the most useful elements of the intervention focused on contextualising how STEM learning could be applied in practice. Incorporating problem-based activities into STEM learning and providing opportunities for girls to see women working in real-life STEM roles emerged as key factors in the development of STEM identities.
STEM education; identity; gender stereotypes
The Network Gender & STEM co-Convenors, Professors Helen Watt and Rebecca Lazarides, outline the Network’s evolution and key dissemination activities.
Participatory Opportunity for Women Emerging Researchers (POWER): Understanding Co-Researchers' Experiences with Participatory Action Research in STEM
The purpose of this study is to understand co-researchers’ experiences while conducting a Participatory Action Research (PAR) project to explore their development as a team of co-researchers and as individuals. My co-researchers and I implemented a PAR project to study the lived experiences of women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) majors at the University of Cincinnati to inform undergraduate research program development. The current study is a process evaluation of the PAR approach that compiles and analyzes data such as group discussions, co-researcher reflections, and my own researcher memos. Findings revealed that co-researchers felt that their participation in the PAR group led to learning more about the experiences of women in STEM and enhanced their perceptions of their own experiences. Co-researchers also indicated gaining substantial knowledge about a broad array of research methods and participatory techniques within the field of action research. POWER members expressed both significant relationship development between co-researchers and personal growth and goal development throughout the PAR process.
Building Elementary School Teachers’ Capacity in the Design and Implementation of Authentic STEM Assessments for Girls
Improving science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) curricula and promoting the participation of historically underrepresented groups, including girls in STEM-related majors and careers, have become important policy initiatives in many countries. Although informal learning activities are essential for students, research shows that teachers’ use of innovative pedagogical and assessment approaches in the classroom learning environment has the greatest impact on student learning and choices of STEM-related fields of study and careers. Therefore, there is an urgent need to build teacher capacity in the design and development of instructionally sensitive, authentic assessments with the potential to promote the engagement of elementary school girls in STEM learning. This article is part of a larger design-based research study on building capacity for Canadian elementary school teachers in the design and implementation of authentic STEM assessments to promote girls’ STEM self-efficacy and interest in STEM. Participants included three Grades 5 and 6 teachers and their students. Data sources included in the analysis and results sections of this article comprise teacher-designed assessment tasks, teacher interviews, classroom observations and student self-reflections. Findings indicate that despite their capacity to design assessment tasks with a real-world problem, teachers tended to focus on the solicitation of students’ factual and procedural knowledge, lacked the capacity to promote students’ integration of mathematics and sciences and encountered some implementation challenges. Although there were positive effects of the authentic STEM assessment on girls’ development of a growth mindset, interest in mathematics and investigative skills, teachers should be more intentional in increasing the intellectual engagement of girls in STEM through the creation of authentic assessment tasks that are more gender-responsive and that focus on eliciting higher-order cognitive skills. These findings underscore the importance of providing elementary school teachers with sustained professional development to build their capacity to design and implement high-quality authentic STEM assessments (i.e., high cognitive demand tasks) for girls.
elementary school teachers; authentic STEM assessments; girls; building teacher capacity; research partnership; STEM integration; design and implementation challenges; professional development
2021 Network Gender & STEM Conference Report
Deferred one year due to the COVID-19 global pandemic, the 2021 Network Gender & STEM conference was finally possible via an online format, involving 170 participating delegates from 20 countries. This conference brought together researchers, scientists, educators, policymakers, industry representatives and the public to interrogate person-in-context influences towards, or away from, diverse STEM pathways across stages and settings.
Keynote Summary: So what have we learned!
In her Keynote address, Network Patron Distinguished Professor Jacquelynne Eccles recapped the highlights of what she and her colleagues have learned about both the Eccles et al. expectancy-value theory of achievement-related choices, and engagement and gendered STEM educational and occupational choices, over the last 40 years. This address: critiqued the continuing stereotypical research narratives about female versus male participation in “STEM”, including what should be included in the category of STEM and the extent to which that very definition of STEM shapes the stereotypes we hold about how gendered STEM professions are; provided an overview of the shift from EEVT to SEVT (the Eccles et al. Expectancy-Value Theory, to the Situated Expectancy-Value Theory) as it relates to STEM in particular; and suggested important next steps for both research and policymaking related to gender and STEM.
Gender & STEM; Situated Expectancy-Value Theory; longitudinal
Keynote Summary: The Power of Partnerships to Promote Engagement of Young People in STEM: International and Local Perspectives
Sarah Chapman was featured as a keynote speaker for the 2021 Network Gender & STEM Conference. She provided a passionate call-to-action based on her immersive educational experiences such as the Barbara Cail STEM International Fellowship (2016) and her 19 years as a secondary science teacher. The fellowship provided the opportunity to research and identify effective and innovative ways for promoting participation of young people, particularly girls, in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) fields during their education and subsequent careers. By visiting schools, businesses, universities, government departments and communities all over the world, she explored what OECD countries were doing that was having an impact on the rate of engagement in STEM education. Sarah also visited other countries that are high performing in STEM education to inform her professional practice. With a focus on best practice for engaging and sustaining young people, in particular girls, in STEM, this keynote summary offers important messages of connection, communication, and collaboration to consider for an effective STEM ecosystem that embeds four key strategies to empower and engage girls in STEM.
Women in software companies in Argentina: what do we know and what should we know?
This article focuses on the labor environment of firms in the Software and Information Technology industry sector (SIS) in Argentina, specifically the participation of women in this sector. Based on the verification of the low participation of women in this type of activities at a global and local level, this text offers a literature review on the possible barriers faced by women who work in IT (briefly, activities related to software production) in these firms. Specifically, we systematize the existence of barriers in four dimensions: i. Recruitment; ii. Evaluation; iii. Promotion, and iv. Work dynamics. The main findings are related to barriers at the level of practices in these firms, in terms of the circulation of stereotypes but also in working, spatial and organizational conditions. In turn, we identified a relevant lack of literary coverage on the rules that govern these firms in each analytical dimension.