Stepping Up Women's STEM Careers in Infrastructure: An Overview of Promising Approaches describes a variety of ways to level the pathway for women entering into and progressing in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) employment within the infrastructure sectors—energy and extractives; water; transport; and digital development. It is composed of three volumes : Volume 1 distills the findings from an extensive literature review, a global stocktaking exercise, key informant interviews, and five case studies in order to provide World Bank Group project teams with insights that they can use to support women's STEM careers in infrastructure at each stage of their careers—from initial attraction to the sectors and job recruitment, to retention within organizations, and advancement to managerial and leadership roles. The report is intended to underpin and expand the existing knowledge on gender equality issues, under the World Bank's Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP).The case studies featured form part of the insight captured in the associated report Stepping Up Women's STEM Careers in Infrastructure: Case Studies (Volume 1). Volume 2 is composed of five case studies that describe a variety of contexts in which measures are being implemented to attract, recruit, retain, and advance women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) roles in the infrastructure sectors across Ethiopia, the Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR), North Macedonia, Panama, and Solomon Islands. The first three case studies profiled in this document focus specifically on recruitment, retention, or advancement. The remaining two case studies focus on organizations that are tackling the issue of women's underrepresentation holistically, in each of the crucial stages of a woman's career. The case studies featured form part of the insight captured in the main report Stepping Up Women's STEM Careers in Infrastructure: An Overview of Promising Approaches (Volume 1). Volume 3 summary note provides a brief overview of some of the findings from an extensive literature review, a global stocktaking exercise, key informant interviews, and five case studies (featured in Volume 1 and 2) in order to provide World Bank Group project teams with insights that they can use to support women's STEM careers in infrastructure at each stage of their careers.
Paper presented at the 5th Strathmore International Mathematics Conference (SIMC 2019), 12 - 16 August 2019, Strathmore University, Nairobi, Kenya ; In the last decade, education policy in a many African countries has shifted to SBS Competence based education. Seen to resonate with and originate from global discourses on human capital theory and the current push to build a global workforce for the 21st century, the increased adoption of competence based education curriculum by African government continues to be fronted as key requirement for national economic growth. Using the proposed Kenyan Competence based curriculum as a case study this article provides a social-cultural theoretical reflection on some of the limitations of competency based curriculuxn as is currently promoted in some of the African countries in equitably supporting African students access to quality STEM education and transition STEM careers in the 21st century. Conclusions point to the need for bi/multilateral institutions such as the World Bank to desist from promoting one-sizefits all education models for Africa. A suggestion is made for key Pan-African STEM based institution such African Institute of Mathematical sciences (AIMS) to take a leadership role in advising the African governments on the merits and demerits of implementing a competency based curriculum. ; AIMMSEC, Rwanda.
Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.Schools have a particular responsibility to introduce young people to the range of possible options for them after they leave education as few families can provide this. However, in the United Kingdom, careers education is currently not strong in most schools for a number of reasons but principally due to its low status and shifts in government policy and funding. As a result, too many young people make subject choices for post-16 study that they subsequently regret. In particular, fewer young people in the United Kingdom choose post-16 STEM subjects than might do. Yet, STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) graduates are especially valued by employers. We draw on the findings of two research projects, ASPIRES and UPMAP, and argue that one way forward may be to embed careers education in STEM lessons. This can be done in ways that are respectful of and helpful to students. We recommend that an England- or UK-based project to investigate the consequences of embedding careers education in STEM lessons be undertaken.
While evidence shows that there are only few reliable differences between boys' and girls' brains relevant to learning or education , society takes these small differences and makes them much bigger, supporting boys' ability in math and science, and discouraging girls who study these subjects. In view of this situation, the EU Parliament encourages all State Members to invest consistently in information, awareness-raising and educational campaigns addressing stereotyped perceptions of gender roles, as well as gender stereotypes in vocational and professional orientation, notably in science and new technologies. UNESCO, in its turn, highlight the urgent need to combat those stereotypes by training teachers to encourage girls to pursue STEM careers and developing curricula that are gender-sensitive. With this context in mind, FOSTWOM intend to use the inclusive potential of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) to propose STEM subjects free of stereotyping assumptions on gender abilities. This document makes a benchmark on gender balance in STEM education and a diagnosis on STEM barriers implemented with secondary schools and higher education institutions, as a first step in the FOSTWOM project. ; Funded by the Erasmus+ program. Grant number 2019-1-ES01-KA203-065924
The papers aim is to summarize what is currently known regarding Hispanic students in STEM. The authors begin with a summary of pre-college circumstances known to influence Latino/a students decisions to major in STEM as undergraduate students. A synthesis of what is known to date regarding the factors impacting the retention of Hispanic students in STEM fields is then provided. They conclude with key recommendations for research, policy and practice. ; Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities
This report shows how in order to improve success outcomes in higher education, colleges and universities need to focus on personal relationships as a means to increase retention, recruitment, and transition outcomes and support among all students, particularly for minority males in STEM. In this regard, the strategies, as implemented at the four different sites, suggest student success is highly contingent on supportive institutional contexts and response to students individual backgrounds. ; Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities
In continuing response to the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001, the United States (U.S.) Department of Education releases an annual appropriation of 180 million dollars for Mathematics and Science Partnerships (MSP), whose "overarching goal … is to increase students' achievement in mathematics and science by increasing teachers' content knowledge and pedagogical skills" (Merrill & Daugherty, 2010, 23). In their article, Merrill and Daugherty hail the MSP funded science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) Education and Leadership Program at Illinois State University (ISU) as an example of the direction that many MSP funded STEM programs should take to address the needs of students and teachers. However, as this paper will discuss, the authors seem to ignore some fundamental flaws in the leadership model of U.S. government funded MSP projects, which create issues in initiatives such as ISU's STEM Education and Leadership Program from their outset through preset restrictions and regulations, and this can hinder the intended promotion of STEM careers. ; Education, Faculty of ; Educational Studies (EDST), Department of ; Unreviewed ; Graduate
The Federal Government has called for an overhaul of STEM education, saying that we as a nation must increase "opportunities for young Americans to gain strong STEM skills" (Office of Science and Technology Policy, 2013, p.1). Economically, these skills expand beyond those that make good doctors, professors, and engineers; there is a world of jobs going unfilled because our students are graduating without the skills or knowledge that such opportunities exist. To increase the future STEM workforce, we first need to increase student awareness of a variety of STEM careers early on (Tai et al., 2006). Career decisions are being made by students as early as middle school (Tai et al., 2006); and very little if any STEM career exploration is occurring before high school. This lack of early exposure to STEM career options means that students are likely making decisions about career choices without accurate information; choosing a path before knowing about all the options. This research is broken into two manuscripts; the first of which examined the impacts of design-based learning and scientific inquiry curriculum treatments with embedded career content on the career interest of fifth-grade students as compared to traditional classroom methods. It found that there is an upward trend in career interest with the use of these curriculum treatments, but it is not a significant change, likely due to the short time period of the unit and/or small n. The second manuscript examined the effect of a design-based learning curriculum treatment implementation for a single unit on Radford City Schools fifth-grade students' STEM attitudes and interest in STEM careers through a pre/post design. The study showed statistically significant growth in overall STEM attitudes and within the science subtest specifically. Career interest in the general field of science showed a significant increase, while a change of interest in specific career areas was not statistically significant. Collectively, this research serves as a foundation for the effectiveness of having career awareness and career exposure opportunities built into active learning instruction, which does not occur currently. Built on secondary principles, but at a level appropriate for elementary students, using active learning opportunities with embedded career connections has the potential to be an effective solution to students' premature exclusion of STEM-related study and work options identified in the literature. Through preliminary exposure to this unique combination at the elementary level, a stronger foundation can be built for both ability and interest in STEM. ; Ph. D. ; The Federal Government has called for an overhaul of STEM education, saying that we as a nation must increase opportunities for young Americans to gain strong STEM skills (Office of Science and Technology Policy, 2013, p.1). Economically, these skills expand beyond those that make good doctors, professors, and engineers; there is a world of jobs going unfilled because our students are graduating without the skills or knowledge that such opportunities exist. To increase the future STEM workforce, we first need to increase student awareness of a variety of STEM careers early on (Tai et al., 2006). Career decisions are being made by students as early as middle school (Tai et al., 2006); and very little if any STEM career exploration is occurring before high school. This lack of early exposure to STEM career options means that students are likely making decisions about career choices without accurate information; choosing a path before knowing about all the options. This research is broken into two manuscripts; the first of which examined the impacts of design-based learning and scientific inquiry curriculum treatments with embedded career content on the career interest of fifth-grade students as compared to traditional classroom methods. It found that there is an upward trend in career interest with the use of these curriculum treatments, but it is not a significant change, likely due to the short time period of the unit and/or small n. The second manuscript examined the effect of a design-based learning curriculum treatment implementation for a single unit on Radford City Schools fifth-grade students STEM attitudes and interest in STEM careers through a pre/post design. The study showed statistically significant growth in overall STEM attitudes and within the science subtest specifically. Career interest in the general field of science showed a significant increase, while a change of interest in specific career areas was not statistically significant. Collectively, this research serves as a foundation for the effectiveness of having career awareness and career exposure opportunities built into active learning instruction, which does not occur currently. Built on secondary principles, but at a level appropriate for elementary students, using active learning opportunities with embedded career connections has the potential to be an effective solution to students premature exclusion of STEM-related study and work options identified in the literature. Through preliminary exposure to this unique combination at the elementary level, a stronger foundation can be built for both ability and interest in STEM.
This research brief presents key highlights on recent veteran participation in the STEM workforce drawing upon an analysis of the American Community Survey (2012-2016), led by the U.S. Census Bureau.
This research technical report presents key highlights on recent veteran participation in the STEM workforce drawing upon an analysis of the American Community Survey (2012-2016), led by the U.S. Census Bureau. From this data, the research team examined veteran participation across 49 distinct STEM occupations, which are grouped into the following five occupational clusters: Engineering, Information Technology and Computer Science, Life and Physical Sciences, Mathematics, and Supervisor/ Management of STEM occupations. Among other analyses, the research team identified year-over-year trends in veteran participation, geographic distribution, and comparisons to non-veterans across all STEM occupations.
This research brief presents key highlights on recent veteran participation in the STEM workforce drawing upon an analysis of the American Community Survey (2012-2016), led by the U.S. Census Bureau. From this data, the research team examined veteran participation across 49 distinct STEM occupations, which are grouped into the following five occupational clusters: Engineering, Information Technology and Computer Science, Life and Physical Sciences, Mathematics, and Supervisor/ Management of STEM occupations. Among other analyses, the research team identified year-over-year trends in veteran participation, geographic distribution, and comparisons to non-veterans across all STEM occupations.
This volume provides the first introduction to the right to science/STEM education, with contributions from international scholars and experts from organizations, including UNESCO, and from diverse disciplines such as human rights; science education; educational studies; anti-racist and decolonizing pedagogy; feminist and gender studies in science, technology, and engineering; and management and organizational studies. The book offers a thorough grounding in the right to education and its application in the STEM fields. It provides interdisciplinary perspectives that allow for a broad understanding of the human right to science education at all intersectional levels of STEM education and in STEM careers. Based on the Berlin Declaration on the Right to Science Education, adopted at the 1st International Symposium on Human Rights and Equality in STEM Education (October 2018), this volume suits as a textbook for university courses at the undergraduate or graduate level. It will also prove extremely valuable to researchers from a range of disciplines but, in particular, those interested in human rights, education, science/STEM education, as well as practitioners, program and curriculum developers, policy makers, educators, and, of course, the interested public. (DIPF/Orig.)
This report examines recent trends in engineering degrees awarded at national and institutional levels to determine areas of growth among various groups, changes in racial, ethnic and gender diversity in engineering, and which colleges and universities graduate a larger number and proportion of underrepresented groups in specific engineering disciplines. ; Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities
W-STEM is a research project funded by the European Union through the Erasmus+ program in order to develop concrete actions to modernise the government, management and operation of higher education institutions in Latin America to improve women's access to STEM programs. Among the main objectives of the project, there is the development of a mobile app to be used in attraction campaigns conducted by the Latin American higher education institutions involved in the project. Specifically, the app aims to facilitate access to the role models of women in areas related to science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The main content inside the app will be a set of video interviews with women from different ages, cultural backgrounds, profiles, sharing their experiences about their careers, occupation and future plans. This work aims to describe the prototype of the mobile app and the exploratory study conducted with a group of students from secondary education to know their perceptions and opinions about the proposed app and the video interviews.
This report summarizes the challenges facing Armenian women at school and in the workplace with a special focus on STEM-related employment. As the world transitions to an increasingly digital economy, jobs in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) will become a powerful driver of economic growth in the twenty-first century. Changes in economic productivity brought through technological innovation require countries to focus on STEM; these high-productivity fields are increasingly in demand in the global economy, and are the key to competitiveness and gross domestic product (GDP) growth.Parity between men and women was one of the major achievements of socialist regimes in Eastern Europe and Central Cultural stereotypes about the types of work women should engage in and their responsibilities at home present the strongest barrier to equality between women and men in Armenia Asia. Although access, enrolment, and achievement rates are gender-equal in Armenia, women and girls tend to self-select out of STEM education tracks and career fields. At the level of education institutions, policy actions can address issues of access, information, biases, and system-wide changes to promote gender neutrality. In the short term, schools can engage teachers and students in discussions about the benefits of STEM fields of study and careers, encourage girls to embrace their interest in math and science, and provide positive role models of women who work in STEM careers. Policy action can help women make the school-to-work transition and promote their career advancement once they are working. At a national level, policy and regulatory actions can address systemic issues of bias, market failure, and information. Even at this level, some quick wins are feasible. The government may consider whether public information campaigns are needed to promote positive aspects of STEM careers to students in middle school and above, such as greater income, flexibility, and status, as well as launch a media campaign to promote and celebrate positive female role models in STEM. STEM sectors are an important source of growth for Armenia given the country's geography and closed borders. Also, considering Armenia's adverse demographic trends, lifting women's participation in key growth potential sectors, including STEM, is increasingly critical.