INQUIRY QUESTION #1
Why is STEM and girls such a hot topic?
The push for young girls to become interested in STEM has been a major topic recently. A reason for the push for girls to be interested in STEM is because studies show that more males go into STEM careers than females. Young girls may be interested in STEM at first, however they do not major or pursue careers in STEM. This may be due to a lack of role models for girls within STEM fields or due to no real life connection within the classroom.
This is a concern because today majority of careers require skills and knowledge that is gained through STEM. For instance, a beautician has to know the right ph scale for mixing hair dye. Also, the world is relying on technology everyday now, so soon it will be essential for everyone to have technological skills. Due to the deficiency of women in STEM fields, there are many STEM programs developing everywhere geared towards young girls to get them interested. An example is Western High’s Biomedical program. This program gives the girls an opportunity to take courses and try to encourage them in pursuing careers in the biomedical field
I feel that one reason for the lack of girls in STEM careers could be due to the fact of having children. For example, my sister is an engineer, but she told me that when she has children, (which will probably be in the next year or so) she will stay at home and not work in her field. I do agree that it is very concerning that many girls do not even pursue these careers, but hopefully programs like the bio-medical program can help the issue.
ReplyDeleteAshley, that is an interesting point. My wife is a registered nurse. In the nursing field, there is a shortage for several reasons. One of the main reasons is because many nurses have children and do not go back to work or go back to work on a part-time basis. Overall, it is a valid argument but I am not sure it has a bearing on girls going into math and science related fields like engineering. Who knows?
ReplyDeleteAshley and Michelle,
ReplyDeleteI was looking at some research recently on the college student population. In 2009, research revealed that 57% of college students are women. In addition, it is estimated that the number will rise to 60% or more in the next decade. Given information like this and the challenges our country is facing, it will become more imperative to get girls into the STEM majors. Whether this is done by grants, scholarships, or programs that gain the interest of young girls, the point is clear. The article below is about this very point and I think it may be worth exploring in your work.
http://fabiusmaximus.wordpress.com/2009/07/07/women/