STEM EDUCATION AND THE GENDER GAP: STRATEGIES FOR ENCOURAGING GIRLS TO PURSUE STEM CAREERS
Abstract
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) are becoming increasingly important in today's society as they drive innovation and shape the future of the global economy. However, there is a persistent gender gap in STEM education and careers, with women significantly underrepresented in these fields. This gender gap can be attributed to various factors, including societal stereotypes, a lack of role models, and inadequate support systems for girls and women interested in pursuing STEM careers. This study aims to understand why women tend to avoid STEM careers and how to encourage women to be more involved in STEM fields. This study uses qualitative methods with interview collection techniques. The results of the study show that there are several aspects for women to be involved in STEM (1) initial exposure to the STEM field, (2) providing positive role models for women, (3) creating an inclusive and supportive learning environment, and (4) working actively to eliminate gender bias and stereotypes. Encouraging girls and young women to pursue STEM fields is critical as it not only helps create a more diverse and inclusive workforce but also opens up opportunities for innovation and advancement. Studies have shown that exposing girls to STEM fields at an early age can significantly impact their interest and confidence. In addition, they have access to positive female role models. They are creating an inclusive and supportive learning environment for girls in STEM fields. In conclusion, addressing the STEM gender gap and encouraging girls to pursue STEM careers is critical to creating a diverse and inclusive workforce, driving innovation and progress.
Keywords
Full Text:
PDFReferences
Arntz, M., Gregory, T., & Zierahn, U. (2020). The risk of automation for jobs in OECD countries: A comparative analysis. OECD Social, Employment and Migration Working Papers, (189), 1-50.
Baram-Tsabari, A., Segev, E., & Yarden, A. (2020). Can role models attract girls to science and engineering? The impact of gender and spatial abilities. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 57(3), 388-409. https://doi.org/10.1002/tea.21577
Barron, B., & Bell, P. (2020). STEM learning ecologies for girls and women: Emerging research and policy initiatives. Frontiers in Education, 5, 105.
Beede, D., Julian, T., Langdon, D., McKittrick, G., Khan, B., & Doms, M. (2016). Women in STEM: 2017 update. Economics and Statistics Administration, US Department of Commerce. https://www.commerce.gov/sites/default/files/2018-03/women-in-stem-2017-update.pdf
Borgonovi, F., & Montt, G. (2020). Parental involvement in STEM education: A systematic review of the literature. International Journal of Science Education, 42(5), 786-810. https://doi.org/10.1080/09500693.2020.1721555
Cheryan, S., Ziegler, S. A., Montoya, A. K., & Jiang, L. (2017). Why are some STEM fields more gender-balanced than others? Psychological Bulletin, 143(1), 1.
Denner, J., Werner, L., & Ortiz, E. (2017). Girls designing games: Strategies for supporting girls’ learning and identity development in game design and social activism. Games and Culture, 12(4), 319-342.
Eddy, S. L., Brownell, S. E., Thummaphan, P., Lan, M. C., Wenderoth, M. P., & Chong, N. N. (2020). Considerations for inclusive teaching in STEM higher education. CBE—Life Sciences Education, 19(3), ar30.
Gander, K. (2018). An investigation into the factors influencing the career choice of Generation Z in the UK. Journal of Business Research, pp. 89, 524–533.
George-Jackson, C. E., & Litzler, E. (2018). Examining the influence of STEM identity and gender on persistence among science and engineering majors. Journal of Women and Minorities in Science and Engineering, 24(1), 47-64.
Harms, N., Ritz, J., & Ghosh, R. (2019). The gender gap in Canada's science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education: An intersectional analysis. Canadian Journal of Education, 42(4), 1092–1124. https://journals.sfu.ca/cje/index.php/cje-rce/article/view/3631/3333
Kelly, S., Sheppard, E., & Lilienthal, J. (2020). STEM education and women: A systematic review of factors influencing women's participation in STEM. Journal of Women and Minorities in Science and Engineering, 26(2), 117–138.
Kiefer, K., & Sanchez, C. (2019). Early exposure to STEM and female students' self-concept: A meta-analysis. Journal of Educational Psychology, 111(8), 1183-1203.
LaForce, M., Noble, E., & Blackwell, C. K. (2021). Cultivating engineering identity and career interest in middle school: The impact of an engineering afterschool program for girls. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 58(1), 36–61.
Lewis, K. L., Stout, J. G., Pollock, S. J., Finkelstein, N. D., & Ito, T. A. (2016). Fitting in to graduate school: A qualitative study of socialization in STEM disciplines with implications for women and underrepresented minorities. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 40(4), 488-509. https://doi.org/10.1177/0361684316657679
Liao, Y., & Cadigan, K. (2019). Effects of early STEM programs on female students’ interests and persistence in STEM studies and careers: A literature review. Journal of STEM Education: Innovations and Research, 20(1), 36-44.
Madsen, L. M. (2021). The role of intersectionality in promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in STEM. Journal of Chemical Education, 98(3), 620-627.
Master, A., Cheryan, S., & Moscatelli, A. (2017). Programming experience promotes higher STEM motivation among first-grade girls. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, pp. 160, 92–106.
Minogue, E.T., & Jones, A.J. (2017). Preparing students for STEM careers: The importance of teacher education and professional development. Journal of STEM Education: Innovations and Research, 18(1), 26-33.
Moss-Racusin, C. A., Molenda, A. K., Cramer, C. R., & Neil Lewis Jr, J. (2021). Gender bias in STEM Fields. In S. V. David & S. T. Fiske (Eds.), Handbook of gender equity and justice in the workplace (pp. 237–252). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-60357-8_14
Nadelson, L. S., & Nadelson, S. G. (2018). A synthesis of literature about female participation and success in STEM programs. Journal of STEM Education: Innovations and Research, 19(4), 20-29.
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. (2018). Sexual harassment of women: Climate, culture, and consequences in academic sciences, engineering, and medicine. The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/24994
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. (2018). How people learn II: Learners, contexts, and cultures. The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/24783
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. (2018). Sexual harassment of women: Climate, culture, and consequences in academic sciences, engineering, and medicine. National Academies Press.
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. (2020). Promising practices for addressing the underrepresentation of women in science, engineering, and medicine: Opening doors. National academies press. Retrieved from https://www.nap.edu/catalog/25585/promising-practices-for-addressing-the-underrepresentation-of-women-in-science
National Science Board. (2018). Assessing the state of STEM education in the United States: A national report. National Science Foundation. Retrieved from https://www.nsf.gov/nsb/publications/2018/nsb201817.pdf
National Science Board. (2018). Science and engineering indicators 2018. National Science Foundation. https://nsf.gov/statistics/2018/nsb20181/report/sections/highlights
National Science Board. (2018). Science and engineering indicators 2018. National Science Foundation. Retrieved from https://www.nsf.gov/statistics/2018/nsb20181/#/
National Science Foundation (NSF). (2021). Women, minorities, and persons with disabilities in science and engineering: 2021. Retrieved from https://ncses.nsf.gov/pubs/nsf21304/
National Science Foundation. (2018). Women, minorities, and persons with disabilities in science and engineering: 2019. Alexandria, VA: National Science Foundation.
National Science Foundation. (2019). Women, minorities, and persons with disabilities in science and engineering: 2019. National Science Foundation. Retrieved from https://www.nsf.gov/statistics/wmpd/
National Science Foundation. (2021). Science and engineering indicators 2021. https://ncses.nsf.gov/pubs/nsb20221/
National Science Foundation. (2021). Women, minorities, and persons with disabilities in science and engineering: 2021. Special Report NSF 21-310. Retrieved from https://www.nsf.gov/statistics/women/
National Science Foundation. (2021). Women, minorities, and persons with disabilities in science and engineering: 2021. Retrieved from https://ncses.nsf.gov/pubs/nsf21321/data
O'Brien, K. R., & Rawson, K. A. (2019). Examining the impact of a female role model intervention on women's STEM outcomes. Social Psychology of Education, 22(2), 333–352.
Rosen, J. (2020). STEM careers: Why are women still underrepresented? The Lancet Digital Health, 2(9), e448-e449.
Rosli, R., Abdullah, M., Siregar, N. C., Abdul Hamid, N. S., Abdullah, S., Beng, G. K., Halim, L., Mat Daud, N., Bahari, S. A., Abd Majid, R., & Bais, B. (2020). Student awareness of space science: Rasch model analysis for validity and reliability. World Journal of Education, 10(3), 170-177. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1265412.pdf
Rosli, R., Abdullah, M., Siregar, N. C., Hamid, N. S. A., Abdullah, S., Beng, G. K., ... & Bais, B. (2019, July). Exploring space science through the UKM-SIDπ Outreach Program. In 2019 6th International Conference on Space Science and Communication (IconSpace) (pp. 253-256). IEEE. https://doi.org/10.1109/IconSpace.2019.8905957
Seymour, E., & Hewitt, N. M. (2017). Talking about leaving revisited: Persistence, relocation, and loss in undergraduate STEM education. Routledge.
Shapiro, C., & Sax, L. (2019). Equity and inclusion in STEM education: Introduction to the special issue. Journal of Women and Minorities in Science and Engineering, 25(1), 1–5. https://doi.org/10.1615/jwomenminorscieneng.2019029457
Shin, M. L., Shin, J., & Kim, J. (2021). The importance of STEM education in today's competitive global economy. Journal of Educational Technology Development and Exchange, 14(1), 1-12.
Shin, M. L., Shin, J., & Kim, J. (2021). The importance of STEM education in today's competitive global economy. Journal of Educational Technology Development and Exchange, 14(1), 1-12.
Siregar, N. C. (2020). Interest STEM based on family background for secondary school students: Validity and reliability instrument using Rasch model analysis. Proceeding in RSU International Research Conference, May 1, 2020. Pathum Thani, Thailand. https://doi.org/10.14458/RSU.res.2020.131
Siregar, N. C., & Anggrayni, D. (2023). STEM-based facilitator in weather observation to determine prayer time. Aksioma, 12(1), 10-17. Retrieved from https://jurnal.fkip.untad.ac.id/index.php/jax/article/view/3452
Siregar, N. C., & Anggrayni, D. (2023). STEM-based social interaction model in building communication residents of social institutions in Bogor region. Aksioma, 12(1), 37-45. Retrieved from https://jurnal.fkip.untad.ac.id/index.php/jax/article/view/3455
Siregar, N. C., & Rosli, R. (2021). The effect of STEM interest is based on family background for secondary students. Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 1806 (1), 012217. https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1742-6596/1806/1/012217/pdf
Siregar, N. C., Rosli, R., & Marsigit. (2022). Desain pembelajaran science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM) dilengkapi dengan contoh soal. Yogyakarta: KMB Indonesia.
Siregar, N. C., Rosli, R., & Nite, S. (2023). Students’ interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) is based on parental education and gender factors. International Electronic Journal of Mathematics Education, 18(2), em0736.
Siregar, N. C., Rosli, R., Maat, S. M., & Capraro, M. M. (2019). The effect of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) program on students’ achievement in mathematics: A meta-analysis. International Electronic Journal of Mathematics Education, 15(1), 1- 12. https://doi.org/10.29333/iejme/5885
Stoet, G., & Geary, D. C. (2018). The gender-equality paradox in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education. Psychological Science, 29(4), 581-593. https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797617741719
Su, M. N., Chen, S. M., & Chen, C. M. (2018). The role of STEM education in economic development: A review of international research. International Journal of STEM Education, 5(1), 1-14.
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. (2018). Sexual harassment of women: Climate, culture, and consequences in academic sciences, engineering, and medicine. Retrieved from https://www.nap.edu/catalog/24994/sexual-harassment-of-women-climate-culture-and-consequences-in-academic-sciences-engineering-and-medicine
Vossoughi, S., Hooper, P. K., & Escudé, M. (2016). Making through the lens of culture and power: Toward transformative visions for educational equity. Harvard Educational Review, 86(2), 206–232.
Wang, H. (2019). The gender pay gap in STEM fields: Evidence from recent graduates. Journal of Labor Research, 40(4), 367–400.
Wang, M. T., & Degol, J. L. (2017). The gender gap in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM): Current knowledge, implications for practice, policy, and future directions. Educational Psychology Review, 29(1), 119-140. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-015-9355-x
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.31000/prima.v7i2.8411
Article Metrics
Abstract - 2239 PDF - 1460Refbacks
- There are currently no refbacks.
Prima: Jurnal Pendidikan Matematika
Program Studi Pendidikan Matematika
Fakultas Keguruan dan Ilmu Pendidikan
Universitas Muhammadiyah Tangerang
Jl. Perintis Kemerdekaan I/33, Cikokol
Kota Tangerang, Indonesia
e-mail: primajpm@gmail.com
Prima: Jurnal Pendidikan Matematika (p-ISSN: 2579-9827 | e-ISSN: 2580-2216) is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.