I am really happy to see the amount of STEM promotion in the NZ Education Gazette recently. New Zealand has been lagging behind a number of other countries in its push to increase STEM education in schools, and especially with a focus on STEM education for girls.
Today came out an article which explores the importance of STEM for girls. This article discusses the role of A Nation of Curious Minds – He Whenua Hihiri i te Mahara, A National Strategic Plan for Science in Society.
Yet I believe this document could have done a lot more both for promoting the inclusion of girls in STEM and STEM education as a whole.
In the United States the call comes from the top...
“One of the things that I really strongly believe in is that we need to have more girls interested in math, science, and engineering. We’ve got half the population that is way underrepresented in those fields and that means that we’ve got a whole bunch of talent…not being encouraged the way they need to.”
-- President Barack Obama, February 2013
In the United Kingdom, the STEM Programme report leaves no doubt by its front cover that increasing the participation of girls is a priority.
The New Zealand plan encourages science and technology initiatives for harder-to-reach audiences by the establishment of a contestable fund for outreach and education. "This could fund initiatives using innovative approaches for reaching groups such as youth, Māori and Pasifika, and rural New Zealanders." What about girls? Well they are mentioned once with the specific action... "We will identify effective actions to influence girls’ subject choices and increase their participation in science and ICT areas of study, especially from year 12, and encourage them to pursue science and technology careers." I have two comments to make on this. Firstly, effective actions have been identified - there is a wealth of research worldwide regarding strategies to engage girls in STEM education and careers and secondly, why from year 12. To effectively engage girls in STEM, even though late is better than never, there needs to be interventions and actions before girls get to their middle school years as it is through the middle school years that the interest of girls markedly declines. Year 12 is way too late; the interventions need to happen during the primary and middle school years. And effective interventions are not rocket science. Five ways that are supported by research are:
And while I praise the document for its focus on Science in Society, thereby fostering the development of increased Science capital for all New Zealanders, I wonder, while other countries are explicit in their use of STEM, why New Zealand steers away from this term across much of the plan. In the majority of the plan the phrase Science and Technology is referred to rather than the internationally recognised term STEM. In the definitions section of the plan, it is discussed how there is a purposeful differentiation between the terms STEM and STM - with the latter being used to refer to the compulsory level subjects "because engineering is taught only at tertiary level". Yet, STEM education, as internationally recognised, is more than the sum of the parts. Rather, STEM education uses an integrated approach to education, using the STEM subjects but embedded in 'real-world' problems and situations. And that can be taught at any level - from preschool onwards.
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| A Nation of Curious Minds |
In the United States the call comes from the top...
“One of the things that I really strongly believe in is that we need to have more girls interested in math, science, and engineering. We’ve got half the population that is way underrepresented in those fields and that means that we’ve got a whole bunch of talent…not being encouraged the way they need to.”
-- President Barack Obama, February 2013
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| UK STEM Programme Report |
The New Zealand plan encourages science and technology initiatives for harder-to-reach audiences by the establishment of a contestable fund for outreach and education. "This could fund initiatives using innovative approaches for reaching groups such as youth, Māori and Pasifika, and rural New Zealanders." What about girls? Well they are mentioned once with the specific action... "We will identify effective actions to influence girls’ subject choices and increase their participation in science and ICT areas of study, especially from year 12, and encourage them to pursue science and technology careers." I have two comments to make on this. Firstly, effective actions have been identified - there is a wealth of research worldwide regarding strategies to engage girls in STEM education and careers and secondly, why from year 12. To effectively engage girls in STEM, even though late is better than never, there needs to be interventions and actions before girls get to their middle school years as it is through the middle school years that the interest of girls markedly declines. Year 12 is way too late; the interventions need to happen during the primary and middle school years. And effective interventions are not rocket science. Five ways that are supported by research are:
- Engage girls in STEM education and STEM activities before they become teenagers;
- Expose girls to STEM, STEM careers and STEM mentors - teach girls about the diversity of STEM careers;
- Teach girls about stereotypes and stereotype threat - and also the stereotypes around STEM careers - they will be more able to counteract these stereotypes if they are informed about them;
- Develop girls' only STEM initiatives and include in these a wide range of activities - not just ones that are stereotypically girly; and
- Ensure that STEM subject classrooms are not stereotypically male - encourage diversity by actively avoiding objects that are linked to gender stereotypes.
And while I praise the document for its focus on Science in Society, thereby fostering the development of increased Science capital for all New Zealanders, I wonder, while other countries are explicit in their use of STEM, why New Zealand steers away from this term across much of the plan. In the majority of the plan the phrase Science and Technology is referred to rather than the internationally recognised term STEM. In the definitions section of the plan, it is discussed how there is a purposeful differentiation between the terms STEM and STM - with the latter being used to refer to the compulsory level subjects "because engineering is taught only at tertiary level". Yet, STEM education, as internationally recognised, is more than the sum of the parts. Rather, STEM education uses an integrated approach to education, using the STEM subjects but embedded in 'real-world' problems and situations. And that can be taught at any level - from preschool onwards.
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