STEM sell needed to keep girls involved in sciences

A NEW report co-created by Deakin University has found the number of girls taking part in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects has been declining at an alarming rate.

Australia has fallen behind compared with other developed countries according to the Girls’ Future – Our Future report, developed for the Invergowrie Foundation by researchers from Deakin and the University of Melbourne.

Dr Linda Hobbs from Deakin’s School of Education, who is based at the university’s Waurn Ponds campus, said participation rates of girls in STEM had declined since the 1990s, particularly in physics and advanced mathematics.

“This trend is similar in many Western countries, but particularly prominent in Australia.

“There is a resulting concern with Australia’s performance in the STEM disciplines compared with other countries, both in the research and development sector, and in education.”

Only 5.9 per cent of female year 12 students take up a physics unit, compared with 21 per cent of males.

Other discrepancies can be seen in advanced maths (6.2 per cent female, 11.5 per cent male), intermediate maths (20.6 per cent female, 28.4 per cent male) and chemistry (16.5 per cent female, 19.2 per cent male).

“The low number of girls in physics and advanced mathematics is particularly problematic, because these are considered the ‘enabling’ STEM subjects – those subjects provide access to tertiary level science and engineering courses and provide much greater job opportunities after graduation,” Dr Hobbs said.

Deakin’s Professor Russell Tytler said researchers found the “deeply embedded” gender bias in cultural expectations and traditions was a key factor that affected girls’ engagement in STEM.

“This bias continues to impact negatively on the formation of girls’ attitudes, identity and self-efficacy beliefs with respect to STEM.

“Girls and boys at pre-school age, all the way through to primary and secondary school, are exposed to different gendered experiences by their parents, carers and teachers.”

Dr Hobbs said parents, teachers and career advisors all needed to work together to start early and assist girls in developing positive concepts of themselves in STEM subjects, and to continue to do so in a sustained way.

To download the full report, head to invergowrie.org.au.