Date of Award
7-2020
Document Type
Action Research Project
Degree Name
Master of Arts in Education
Department
Education
Department/School
Education
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to determine the impact that Gender Equitable Teaching Strategies (GETS) has on young women and their interest in pursuing STEM electives and career pathways at our high school. The research was conducted in an eighth grade STEM course called Automation and Robotics and with a focus group of six female students at the high school in grades 9-12. All 65 eighth grade students received GETS interventions throughout the study, but data was analyzed for the 30 female students only. Data was also gathered from the discussion with the six girls that participated in the focus group discussion. Classroom scheduling was modified to include opportunities for students to meet and interact with female STEM role models. The use of GETS was mindfully implemented in daily instruction with the eighth grade students throughout the nine week study by utilizing open-ended project based problem solving activities, teaching a growth mindset, aligning projects with communal goals, allowing collaborative efforts and multiple attempts to make their solutions work. The effectiveness of these strategies were measured with a STEM attitudes survey, thank you letters written to role models, analysis of data from a focus group discussion recording, and enrollment data. The results indicate positive outcomes for girl’s stem identities and their desire to further investigate STEM electives and careers.
Recommended Citation
Sanger, Jared. (2020). Where are the STEM Girls: The effects of Gender Equitable Teaching Strategies on the enrollment of female students in STEM courses?. Retrieved from Sophia, the St. Catherine University repository website: https://sophia.stkate.edu/maed/425