official statement How Can We Encourage More Girls to Love Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math (Stem)?
Although improvements are being made with the increased involvement of women in science-related careers, there is still a important under-representation of women, especially among minority women. There are a number of factors that lead to this lack of women in science in our society, but most of these factors can be overcome to furnish the next Anita Roberts, Sally Ride, Jane Goodall, Elizabeth Blackburn, or You.
How Can We Encourage More Girls to Love Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math (Stem)?
According to a study entitled, Women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (Stem) by Kristine De Welde @ Florida Gulf Coast University and Sandra Laursen & Heather Thiry @ University of Colorado at Boulder (2007), some key factors prevent girls from entering or being prosperous in Stem fields. First, they found that the classroom environments in schools were not conducive to encouraging girls to pursue interests in these types of careers. an additional one key factor was a lack of female role models who could contribute encouragement and inspiration as well as demonstrate how to balance their lives in the middle of careers and family life. Other important factors comprise girls not being well ready for the demands of these fields as well as not being encouraged by population around them. Furthermore, these women feel more discrimination and bias against them in the workplace in both hiring practices and in opportunities for advancement. These discriminatory practices also comprise differences in salaries in the middle of women and their male counterparts as well as the institution of looking women in these positions at a lower status than their male colleagues. Finally, it is more difficult in general for women in the workplace to balance careers and families, but it is even more so for Stem careers because they are often more time-consuming due to requiring extended education, and this can ensue in the sacrifice of family life or vocation goals for these women.
However, these factors don't have to squash a girl's dream to work in the range of Stem careers. A search for study presented last month (March 2010) by Bayer Facts of Science schooling Xiv, released the main causes for the under-representation of female scientists in Stem careers as well as pointed out the key factors (both safe bet & negative) that affect girls and women as they journey through the schooling law and workforce. Their hope is that the results will help to "knock down the barriers and contribute to all of our budding scientists and engineers the attitudes, behaviors, opportunities and resources that lead to success." (Bfose Xiv 2010)
The findings recommend that the lower numbers of women in Stem careers can be counteracted by safe bet changes. First of all, it is foremost for schools to have ability science programs that apply hands-on materials and experiments, not just studying through textbooks. This is especially foremost in poorer school districts where these items may not be effortlessly available. Educators should also be encouraged to contribute more fun science classes and activities, and the district and community should sustain them and make the important resources ready like BrainCake's The Girl explication Gender Equity Tool Kit. These activities should also be geared more towards girl interests. prosperous female scientists should be invited to speak to classes, and girl-centered science clubs like the Gems club should be created to give them the confidence, support, and resources they need to accomplish success. Furthermore, multi-media resources should be utilized to help make science come alive like watching preeminent science programs on television or on Dvd like Pbs's Nova and playing interactive games on the Internet like those found at Science News for Kids. Parents can also help encourage their daughters by purchasing science toys, kits, and equipment for them as well as help them to do uncomplicated experiments at home or for science fair projects. In addition, parents and educators can agenda trips to science museums & summer vacation science camps like Sally Ride's Camps as well as contribute entrance to good female role models, mentors, & sustain groups. Finally, every person can contribute encouragement, help girls to set goals, and generate opportunities for them to growth their safe bet science experiences and self-confidence. National Girls Collaborative task and increasing Your Horizons Network are two organizations that can help make this possible.
Another study published in February 2010 called Why So Few? Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics by Catherine Hill, Ph.D., Christianne Corbett, and Andresse St. Rose, Ed.D. Focus on how families, schools, and communities can encourage girls to overcome obstacles to help them enter Stem careers. At the same time, in order to overcome the gender inequalities and societal stereotypes, it is foremost to believe that intelligence isn't fixed, but it is something that can be nurtured and grown which helps level the playing field and means that girls have just as much inherent to learn and thrive in these fields as boys. an additional one foremost factor in improving girls' chances of excelling in these fields is to contribute them with spatial training to growth their spatial skills. This can be done plainly by encouraging them to build things, take them apart, and then put them back together again. Drawing and working with their hands on assorted projects will also help heighten their spatial abilities.
So how can we encourage more girls into Stem fields? The answers may seem simple, but history tells us that change isn't easy. The key is for us to change people's attitudes first and foremost which is probably one of the hardest things to do, but it will be well worth it if we do because it will allow us to tap into a reservoir of talented, creative female minds that can help us soar into the future. Then we have to contribute the opportunities, experiences, skills, and resources that are important to get the job done. If we can't find any in our communities, then we need to look to other communities for help or start new ones, and the Internet is full of practically infinite resources that we could use to jump-start any idea or program. What are you waiting for?
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