Jane Cosmetics at 2014 Championship

[Katie_UPS]

Originally Posted by Carolyn_Grace

My main question is: Does the research point out solutions (don't use girly femininity to endorse STEM) or does it point out symptoms of a larger societal issue of women judging other women (of all ages) based on various kinds of appearances.

A quick google search leads me to a this page titled "Engaging Girls in STEM, Exemplary Practice Research on Engaging Girls in STEM"

Unsurprisingly to me, this report suggests that getting girls involved in STEM activities at all ages and explicitly telling all students that their skill levels (in all fields) are not fixed at birth (this has moderate supporting evidence) is an effective way. This actually has stronger evidence in success than female STEM role models(low supporting evidence).


A report on a program used to encourage girls says the following paragraph which addresses getting non-STEM identified girls into the STEM program:

Unique to the success of [this program] is that it has been promoted as a leadership program, which appeals to girls who are not already interested in STEM. Through the leadership curriculum, girls learn how societal ideas about gender roles influence their choices. STEM engagement occurs through projects that apply STEM skills and concepts in ways with which the girls are already comfortable, such as using computers or planning their weekend activities. In this way, girls who do not initially think they are interested become engaged in STEM. The explicit focus on recognizing and analyzing gender inequity may assist girls in overcom- ing hurdles if they later enter STEM fields.

And the last I will quote is research/review from The Girl Scouts of America:

Effective strategies toward meeting program goals included engaging girls in hands- on, relevant activities that allowed for collaboration. Programs also exposed girls to STEM-related careers through information or contacts with mentors. Informal education programs benefited from the relaxed environment that showed how STEM could be “fun.”

The solution is pretty simple, which is mostly just exposure. I have not read all the studies on the "engaging girls in stem" page, but I'm willing to bet they will conclude with "more exposure, positive reinforcement, and relatable mentors."