How to engage, encourage and support more female students to study STEAM

Dr Gail CardewDirector of Science and EducationThe Royal Institution

April 2015

• Exists to ‘encourage people to think more deeply about the wonders and applications of science’

• Founded in 1799 and often regarded as the ‘home of science’

The Royal Institution

• Famous scientists who were also expert at communicating science

• It is a myth that girls are not choosing STEM qualifications

• Girls outnumber boys in STEM qualification choices overall

• Girls outperform boys in STEM qualifications at all levels

• BUT girls are NOT choosing physics post-16

• Percentage of girls choosing physics hasn’t changed for 30 years despite efforts

What do we know?‘STEM is not for people like me’ Averil MacDonald

• Untapped potential in the family

• Parents need to be aware of the full range of careers available, especially in low income groups

• Mothers in particular need to know their daughters could be happy in a physics/engineering career

What do we know?‘STEM not for people like me’ Averil MacDonald

• In 49% of co-ed state schools no girls went on to take physics post-16 (2011 data)

• Girls in single sex state schools 2.4 times more likely to study physics post-16 than co-ed schools

• This positive effect not apparent for other science subjects

What do we know?‘It’s different for girls’ – Institute of Physics, UK

• Less than 5% of 15-year-old girls in OECD countries contemplate pursuing a career in engineering or computing (cf 20% boys)

• Girls less able to ‘think like a scientist’

• Girls – even high-achieving girls – have less confidence in their abilities and are more anxious towards maths

What do we know?The ABC of gender equality in education: aptitude, behaviour, confidence. PISA 2015

• Parents and teachers should become more aware of their own gender biases

• E.g. Why are parents more likely to expect their sons, rather than their daughters, to work in a STEM field – even when boys and girls perform equally well in mathematics and science? 

What do we know?The ABC of gender equality in education: aptitude,

behaviour, confidence. PISA 2015

• ‘Parents explain more often to boys than to girls during shared scientific thinking’ (Crowley et al 2001)

• Parents equally likely to talk to boys/girls about how to use interactive museum exhibits

• BUT three times more likely to explain science to boys than girls

• Suggest parents unintentionally contributing to a gender gap

What do we know?Museum studies – parents explain science more to

boys than girls

• Girls more likely to search for careers information online than boys, but still don’t choose maths or science (PISA 2015)

• Making the decision not just based on this information but the cultural influences on them throughout their lives

• Start early!  

What do we know?

• Developed in response to research

– Gap analysis highlights lack of activities for this group

• Focus is on the approach not the facts

• Mix of mums and dads with daughters, as well as sons

• Diversity also important

ExpeRimentalRoyal Institution (Ri) videos for parents of pre-school and primary children

ExpeRimentalRoyal Institution (Ri) videos for parents of pre-

school and primary children

Balancing sculptures

ExpeRimentalFiona Sharkey and daughters from Motherwell,

Scotland, have fun with chromatography

• L’Oréal Young Scientist Centre– 51% girls (age 7–18)– 85% said their visit changed their attitude towards

science in a positive or very positive way– 63% said the visit made them more interested in

studying science further (32% already wanted to)• Ri unconference

Other Ri activitiesSchool activities

• Public programme – speakers and audience• You Tube Channel – more work needs to be done

Other Ri activitiesLife-long commitment