What Works in Public Education

The Edutopia Poll

by Sara Bernard

Print Forward Share Comments(10) Comment RSS

The goal of achieving gender balance in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields still holds -- and, thanks, to a surfeit of programs for girls such as IBM’s Exploring Interests in Technology and Engineering (EXITE) or TechBridge, in Oakland, California, many people say that the gap is closing. Others argue, however, that a large gap still exists, often due to persistent stereotypes and biases that keep girls from having positive educational experiences that inspire an interest in STEM. Do you see many female students excelling in and pursuing these subjects, or does more need to be done to encourage them? Tell us what you think.

Are female students excelling in science, technology, engineering, and math?

Yes. The increasing enrollment and participation of girls in STEM courses and programs is dispelling the long-held belief that boys have greater interest in and are more likely to excel in these subjects.
42% (27 votes)
No. I still see a definite gender imbalance in these subjects. More needs to be done to encourage girls to excel in and pursue STEM fields.
52% (33 votes)
Neither. (Comment below.)
6% (4 votes)
Total votes: 64

Comments

0
was this helpful?
Doreen Warren
Posted on 9/04/2007 6:08pm

Female students in science, technology, etc.

I believe viewing the results would be much more interesting if they were broken down by gender. I suspect that most male educators think that everything is fine and female educators realize the problems inherent in being a female science/math student.

0
was this helpful?
Anonymous
Posted on 9/05/2007 4:51am

It is difficult to get either males or females in my 7th and 8th grade math and computer applications classes interested in anything more than the basics of what they need to know to get out of school to leave our relatively low-economic status area. It is difficult to get them to dream of a life different from the poverty they know, but I continue to encourage them to go farther than what they can see today. When I entered college in 1977, I was one of very few female math majors and that continued when I got my M.S. in math in 1983. To me, math is more than just a tool. It is a way to describe the world as we know it and also a way to change it for the betterment of all. I'm going to continue to try!

0
was this helpful?
Anonymous
Posted on 9/05/2007 5:24am

Success in these areas of study are based on interest, environmental exposure, instilled parental insights, and natural curiosity. Having taught industrial arts (now tech. ed.) for many years, I found that females and males achieved equally. However, natural dexterity influenced the final product.

0
was this helpful?
Michael Miller
Posted on 9/05/2007 6:36pm

STEM enrollment not the indicator

I believe the promotion of STEM courses to females has resulted in increased enrollment, but is this the true indicator? Are they achieving? Are they appropriately supported?

Beginning STEM curriculum in the primary grades helps to put females on a level playing field before gender stereotypes kick in.

0
was this helpful?
Alan Crockwell
Posted on 9/05/2007 6:41pm

Female students in science, technology, etc.

I teach at an all-girls high school that by passes some of the problems girls face in a co-ed environment. We have done very well in Local, State and National engineering and Robotic competitions. We have placed 3rd in F.I.R.S.T. Robotics and 2nd and 1st recently in BOTSIQ Nationals. I wondering if other all girls schools see an advantage to single sex education in Science and Engineering.

0
was this helpful?
Anonymous
Posted on 9/05/2007 7:25pm

There is no doubt that girls are the vast majority in any of our AP Biology and Physiology sections. They also make up the majority of our honors programing up through the junior year. Boys still are the majority in physics and engineering programs. It may have something to do with the language based nature of biological studies versus the quantitative nature of physics and engineering programs.

0
was this helpful?
Bonnie Bracey
Posted on 9/05/2007 10:29pm

Female Students in STEM

The fact is that science has been shortened in instructional life in the early years ( K-6) to a very small part of the curriculum. 20 minutes a week? How realistic is that ?

Many children therefore, are tracked out of the kinds of pathways that would lead to their interest in science this particularly affects girls, minorities, and those who need school as the rsource place to learn about science, math, engineering and technology and to find meaningful

Some of us are advocating for the inclusion of science in NCLB, and in meaningful ways with the support of technology, engineering and math as parts of the components.

0
was this helpful?
Michele Cole
Posted on 9/06/2007 5:07am

Female students in CS

I teach AP Computer Science at a large suburban school and sometimes have years between the enrollment of a female student. The fact that the course is taught by a female teacher doesn't seem to make a difference in the enrollment.

0
was this helpful?
Lynn Hendricks
Posted on 9/25/2007 8:49am

AP Chemistry/Chemistry/Anatomy&Physiology

I would like to see the results in a male teacher vs. female teacher. I see girls excelling in my class more than I see boys..however boys tend to pick up on the material more quickly but the girls retain it longer.

0
was this helpful?
ANGELO LATTUCA
Posted on 1/24/2008 7:08am

ALAN CROCKWELL

ARE YOU ALAN CROCKWELL FROM CANISIUS COLLEGE? 1970!
CONTACT ME!

Sign In

Please sign in here
Not yet a member of the Edutopia community? Create an Account

Create an Account

Almost there! As soon as your account is created, your new comment will be posted.
Mollom CAPTCHA (play audio CAPTCHA)
By creating an account, you agree to Edutopia's terms of use.