Live Chat: Gender Gaps at the Top in Math and Science

Summary: In a recent chat on Edweek.org, psychologists Stephen J. Ceci and Wendy M. Williams, authors of The Mathematics of Sex, chimed in on why men continue to take the lead in math and science oriented professions. Read the transcript here.

When asked why women lag behind men, Williams was of the mind that parental influence plays a major role in whether or not girls will enter STEM professions. She says girls, whose families push a more traditional role, are at a disadvantage. While it is easy to blame it on gender roles in the US, as pointed out during the exchange, there are more women in STEM professions in traditional countries like Russia and Turkey.

The question was asked whether or not same sex classrooms would help girls and the response was a reminder that girls get better grades than boys in math and science classes. Also noted, girls and boys take the same number of math courses in middle and high school, so being in homogeneous classrooms is not a deterrent.

Still, why are there fewer women operating at higher level STEM professions?As older males are retiring, new hires are largely female but they leave in order to have families and are the main caregivers of their children. In summation, it's about personal lifestyle choices versus lack of ability, not having positive role models, or receiving negative messages from society.


Classroom connection: Below are a few suggestions to motivate girls in math and science in the classroom.

1. Teachers should take deliberate steps to involve female students.
2. Girls should be shown images of women scientists and given a greater sense of possibility about the person they could become.
3. All students should be encouraged to consider science and science-related careers by exposing them to a range of school and community activities.
4. Effective mentoring and "bridge programs" can prepare girls for challenging coursework in math and science.

Photo courtesy of ngcproject.org.

Teaching Girls to Tinker By Lisa Damour

Encourage girls to tinker so that they can participate in greater numbers and at a faster pace in earning computer science and engineering degrees. Males are ahead by more than 75%. One explanation is that girls are not encouraged enough to tinker. Teachers allow the boys to struggle with mathematical problems and machines in the classroom. Adults need to give girls more opportunities to investigate and experiment when the successful outcome is questionable. After school Lego Leagues, videography, and tech clubs just for girls should be encouraged. Parents should ask daughters to join in for repairing items around the house, even it is only to see what is inside and the item is unrepairable. Designing sustainable models for animal (chicken coops) or human habitats have been successful in high school engineering classes for tapping into girls' collaborative and helpful natures.

Teaching strategy: My daughter was encouraged to tinker by her father and stepfather both mechanically inclined. She worked on car engines, yard irrigation systems, dishwashers, etc. Twenty years ago she graduated from ASU with a mechanical engineering degree, but was one of only 5% of the women graduating engineers. Today that is improving, but too slowly. She taught at the high school level for a couple of years when engineering jobs were scarce and mentored girls who were needing encouragement in math. More girls today need mentors at a younger age in elementary school so that they know all the possibilities for STEM occupations. In my classes, I have found the girls enjoy setting up the science experiments and want to take part in tinkering. They are adapt at technology, but need more encouragement and opportunities to use the tools in the classroom.
Plumbers could be asked to come and talk to the class giving them simple tips on how toilets work. At $60 to $80 per hour fee for plumbers, the economic need for students to know simple plumbing repairs is paramount. Setting up stations with simple tinkering opportunities and enlisting parents' help could be an interesting strategy that I plan to implement.
Taken from edweek.org but I couldn't get back to the original free print so use the link below:
http://www.whyboysfail.com/2009/11/12/good-piece-on-girls-and-science/#more-1187

Virginia