CREATING EQUITABLE STEM LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR K-12 GIRLS

CREATING EQUITABLE STEM LEARNING

OPPORTUNITIES FOR K-12 GIRLS

Sharon Dixon Gentry, Ed.D

Board President

Metro Nashville PS

Kecia Ray, Ed.D

Exec. Director of Learning Technology

Metro Nashville PS

Julie Evans

Chief Executive Officer

Project Tomorrow

Welcome and introductions

Setting the context – research findings

What works? In Metro Nashville Public Schools

From across the country

Personal insights from panelists

Your questions/comments/ideas

Today’s Discussion

Use your devices to tweet your ideas, comments or

questions during today’s session:

#nsbagirlsSTEM (special for this session!)

#NSBA2015, #NSBAConf

Let’s be

interactive!

Setting the context

Why is this an important topic for

discussion and action?

Need for STEM professionals

STEM jobs are good paying jobs

STEM industries are important

Equity of opportunity for all students

Setting the context

Reality Check

Warm Up Game:

Women hold 24% of STEM jobs

Is this statistic “Fact” or “Fiction”

regarding women in STEM?


Amongst Silicon Valley startup tech

companies, only 14% of senior managers

are women






are women

In IT positions, only 9% are held by

women






are women


women

Today, only 18% of computer science

majors are women






are women


women


majors are women

Reality Check?




are women


women


majors are women

Reality Check? All facts!




are women


women


majors are women – in 1983, it was 37%

Reality Check – all facts!

Similar pattern in education

School District technology leadership

positions:

CIO/CTO

Director of Technology

IT Director

Directors of Education Technology

Similar pattern in education

School District technology leadership

positions:

CIO/CTO

Director of Technology

IT Director

Directors of Education Technology

3X more males than females in these positions

Setting the context

Pipeline Problem

Setting the context

Views of K-12 Girls

Setting the context

Research data from the Speak Up National Project

Online surveys in Fall 2014

Conducted through schools

430,000 K-12 students nationwide

Analyzed for gender differences

Setting the context

Did you know that?

Tech skill level

compared to peers

K-2

Girls /

Boys

Gr 3-5

Girls /

Boys

Gr 6-8

Girls /

Boys

Gr 9-12

Girls /

Boys

My skills are

advanced

26% / 32% 21% / 32% 21% / 34% 20% / 37%

My skills are

average

48% / 46% 61% / 53% 74% / 60% 76% / 58%

My skills are

beginner level

25% / 22% 18% / 15% 5% / 6% 4% / 5%

Did you know that?

Girls and boys have different perceptions of their

technology skills – and it starts in elementary school

Students’ self assessment of tech skills

Source: Speak Up 2014 National Data

Did you know that? Value of technology use in learning

63%

66%

55%

57%

Technology Use = Increased InterestGr 6-8 Girls Gr 6-8 Boys Gr 9-12 Girls Gr 9-12 Boys

Both girls and boys say that using technology

increases their engagement and interest in learning Source: Speak Up 2014 National Data

Did you know that? Interest in STEM Careers

29%

15%

37%

20%

19%

13%

36%

32%

Not interested

No opinion

Somewhat interested

Very interested

Boys Girls

And they have different aspirations for STEM careers too


Did you know that? Interest in taking a coding class?

Girls in various

grades

Yes, I am

interesting in

learning how to

code or program

a computer

Girls –

Grades 3-5

64%

Girls –

Grades 6-8

50%

Girls –

Grades 9-12

37%

Decreasing level of interest – sweet spot is

elementary grades Source: Speak Up 2014 National Data

Did you know that? Interest in taking a coding class?

Girls in various

grades

Yes, I am

interesting in

learning how to

code or program a

computer

Girls –

Grades 3-5

64%

Girls –

Grades 6-8

50%

Girls –

Grades 9-12

37%

Decreasing level of interest – sweet spot is

elementary grades

What

can

change

this?


Did you know that? Drivers to increase STEM interests

Having a mobile device matters here too! Girls with mobile

devices are more likely to be interested in learning how to

code

79% of girls in grades 9-12 who are

interested in coding also own a

smartphone

39% own a tablet



Having a mobile device matters with STEM interest too!

Girls with mobile devices are more likely to be interested

in a STEM career field

83% of girls in grades 9-12 who are

interested in STEM also own a

smartphone

41% own a tablet



Playing games has a relationship with STEM interests

57% of girls in grades 6-8 who said they

play digital study games are also

interested in a STEM career field


Did you know that? How to learn about STEM careers

Top ways that middle school girls want to learn about

STEM careers:

1. Visit companies and meet with career professionals (73%)

2. Take a quiz to assess skills and interests (62%)

3. Learn from career professionals who guest teach (60%)

4. Learn from teachers with STEM career experiences (53%)

5. Use mobile apps and websites to explore various careers

(52%)

6. Have a mentor (46%)


Did you know that? How to learn about STEM careers

Top ways that middle school girls want to learn about

STEM careers:

1. Visit companies and meet with career professionals (73%)

2. Take a quiz to assess skills and interests (62%)

3. Learn from career professionals who guest teach (60%)

4. Learn from teachers with STEM career experiences (53%)

5. Use mobile apps and websites to explore various careers

(52%)

6. Have a mentor (46%)

Common denominator: socially-based learning









Sharon Dixon Gentry, Ed.D

Board President

Kecia Ray, Ed.D

Exec. Director of Learning

Technology

Our Experts








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What surprised you from our discussion so far?

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Use these hashtags:

#nsbagirlsSTEM

#NSBA2015, #NSBAConf

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Thank you for joining us today!