Rising Above the Gathering Storm: Why Young Women Should Explore STEM

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Rising Above the Gathering StormWhy Young Women
Should Explore STEM

• Sandra McGarraugh Cara Long, NYS NET Project

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The Gathering Storm. . .

• The United States has been the pre-eminent world
  leader for decades
• Todays global economy challenges that
  preeminence
• In order to stay competitive, the US must Invest
  in STEM initiatives.

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The Factor

• Over the last three decades, girls and women have
  made significant gains in education.
• Women make up 58 of the nations college
  students
• Women graduate more often, and with the majority
  of honors degrees

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The Factor Contd

• Approximately 2 million degrees are awarded in
  STEM fields each year.
• Women earn roughly 32 of the STEM degrees
  awarded
• Women make up only 25 of the STEM workforce!

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Why Dont Women Participate?

• Lack of mentors/role models
• Lack of female faculty at colleges university
• Unfriendly Work Environment

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Gender Chip Project Video

• To view the video clip Where are the women in
  science, technology, engineering and math?
  Please visit http//genderchip.org/documentary/cl
  ips

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Encouraging Girls in STEM

• Problem Girls tend to ignore performance and
  underestimate their abilities in STEM
• Solution
• Change beliefs about abilities
• Spark and maintain interest
• Build associated skills
• Recommendations
• Source Institute of Education Sciences Practice
  Guide, 2007

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Recommendation 1

• Teach students that academic abilities are
  expandable and improvable
• Natural ability vs. effort and hard work
• Practice improves performance
• Role of problem solving

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Recommendation 2

• Provide prescriptive, informational feedback
• Focus on effort, strategy and problem solving
• Identify progress toward learning goals
• Incorrect answers opportunity for learning
• Link success to effort and trials

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Recommendation 3

• Expose girls to female role models
• Provide biographical readings
• Current events highlight achievements
• Look for struggle and success stories
• Attainable and attractive
• Career speakers or mentors

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Recommendation 4

• Create a classroom environment that
• Sparks initial curiosity (situational)
• Fosters long-term interest (individual)
• Accommodates gender differences
• Provides interesting contexts to STEM problems
  and investigations
• Utilize new and relevant tools

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Recommendation 5

• Provide spatial skills training
• Gender differences in math testing
• Mental rotation
• Spatial Perspective
• Embedded figures
• Predictive of interest and preference
• Manipulative activities

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Resources

• What Works Clearinghouse
• http//ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc
• New Tools for Americas Workforce girls in
  Science and Engineering
• www.nsf.gov/publications

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Visit Us Online at

• http//TechValleyCareers.org
• http//TheNetProject.org
• Emailsmcgarraugh_at_uamail.albany.educlong_at_uamail.
  albany.edu