According to one study, “One significant factor in facilitating students’ career intentions and persistence in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fields is targeting their interests and motivation before eighth grade.” For female students in particular, taking deliberate steps to foster deeper engagement can pay off in long-term interest Addressing Cultural BiasĪs Go Science Girls recently noted, many individuals still struggle with cultural messaging that boys are good at STEM disciplines and girls aren’t as good. Studies have shown that from an educational point of view, what students are interested in during middle school can shape their future educational performance, college and major selection, and long-term career directions. This high-pressure social environment can lead to a wide range of challenges. It’s likely that all your memories are not positive. Think back to your own days in middle school. Related: Top Trends in Educational Makerspace: Bring Hands-on STEM to K-12 Classrooms Middle School as a Key Inflection Point for STEAM Engagement If your school is looking for strategies to keep female students engaged in STEAM, here’s a closer look at the latest research and strategies working today. Addressing the gender gap in science and technology begins with having a strong process in place to keep students engaged, beginning in middle school and continuing throughout their studies and careers. According to one study, just 20% percent of technology jobs today are held by women. Yet one group of students has routinely shown a decline in interest and engagement in a STEAM curriculum beginning in middle school and continuing beyond. Further, the authors did not conduct statistical analysis to measure whether observed changes in outcomes were actually significant.Over the past decade, significant strides have been made in introducing science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) curriculum.
This means we are not confident that any estimated effects would be attributable to the Expanding Your Horizons (EYH) conference, but other factors are likely to have contributed.
The authors did not conduct any statistical tests to measure changes in knowledge of and interest in STEM before and after participating in the conference.Of the 214 middle school girls and 103 parent attendees, 80 percent of the girls and 37 percent of the parents turned in a completed survey. The survey was included in backpacks distributed at the beginning of the day, and participants were reminded to complete it at the end of the day. The authors administered a single questionnaire to conference attendees that asked about attendees’ knowledge of and interest in STEM before and after the conference.The goal of the conference, which was held at a large metropolitan, public university in central Florida, was to encourage young girls to consider STEM careers. The study’s objective was to estimate the effects of a one-day annual conference on middle school girls’ (grades 6–8) and their parents’ interest in and knowledge of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).
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