Investigating Forty Years of Stem Research: How Explanations for the Gender Gap Have Evolved Over Time

Kanny, M. Allison; Sax, Linda J.; Riggers-Piehl, Tiffani

doi:10.1615/jwomenminorscieneng.2014007246

Cited by 126 publications

(112 citation statements)

References 66 publications

(38 reference statements)

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“…We suggest that adequate theoretical frameworks should be added in this line of literature. Given the masculine image of STEM professions and misconceptions about the achievement gap between girls and boys, gender should be viewed as a socially constructed matter [73][74][75]. For example, the notion of Butler's gender performativity can guide research to understand girls' engagement in robotics education as gender performance to construct their gender subjectivity [76].…”

Section: Gender Differences In Robotics Learningmentioning

confidence: 99%

Systematic Review of Research Trends in Robotics Education for Young Children

2018

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This study conducted a systematic and thematic review on existing literature in robotics education using robotics kits (not social robots) for young children (Pre-K and kindergarten through 5th grade). This study investigated: (1) the definition of robotics education; (2) thematic patterns of key findings; and (3) theoretical and methodological traits. The results of the review present a limitation of previous research in that it has focused on robotics education only as an instrumental means to support other subjects or STEM education. This study identifies that the findings of the existing research are weighted toward outcome-focused research. Lastly, this study addresses the fact that most of the existing studies used constructivist and constructionist frameworks not only to design and implement robotics curricula but also to analyze young children's engagement in robotics education. Relying on the findings of the review, this study suggests clarifying and specifying robotics-intensified knowledge, skills, and attitudes in defining robotics education in connection to computer science education. In addition, this study concludes that research agendas need to be diversified and the diversity of research participants needs to be broadened. To do this, this study suggests employing social and cultural theoretical frameworks and critical analytical lenses by considering children's historical, cultural, social, and institutional contexts in understanding young children's engagement in robotics education.

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Section: Gender Differences In Robotics Learningmentioning

confidence: 99%

Systematic Review of Research Trends in Robotics Education for Young Children

2018

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“…Consequently, it is necessary to look at literature in both physics education and broader STEM education to consider possible reasons for women's underrepresentation in the field. To guide this conversation, this review will consider five categories identified by Kanny, Sax, and Riggers-Piehl [6] as the most prevalent themes in the literature on the gender gap in STEM: background characteristics, familial expectations and beliefs, K-12 experiences, psychological factors, and perceptions of the field. First, we will briefly summarize what is known with respect to each of these categories about women's interest in STEM fields in general.…”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

Women in physics: A comparison to science, technology, engineering, and math education over four decades

Sax

Lehman

Barthelemy

et al. 2016

Phys. Rev. Phys. Educ. Res.

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[This paper is part of the Focused Collection on Gender in Physics.] The dearth of women in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields has been lamented by scholars, administrators, policymakers, and the general public for decades, and the STEM gender gap is particularly pronounced in physics. While previous research has demonstrated that this gap is largely attributable to a lack of women pursuing physics in college, prior research reveals little in terms of the characteristics and career interests of women who do plan to major in physics or how these traits have evolved over time. To address these gaps, this study utilized nationwide data on first-time, full-time college students to (1) document national trends in plans to major in physics among women entering college, (2) document the career aspirations of women who intend to major in physics, and (3) explore the characteristics of women who intend to major in physics and how this population has evolved across time. This study found that women's interest in physics has been consistently very low in the past four decades. The most popular career aspiration among women who plan to major in physics is research scientist, although this career aspiration is declining in popularity, while increasing numbers of women say that they are undecided in their career choice. Further, this study identifies a distinctive profile of the average female physics student as compared to women in other STEM fields and women across all majors. Women who plan to pursue a physics major tend to be confident in their math abilities, value college as an opportunity to learn, plan to attend graduate school, and desire to make theoretical contributions to science. However, they are less likely than women in other fields to have a social activist orientation. These findings have important implications for scholars, educators, administrators, and policymakers as they seek to recruit more women into the physics field.

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“…The under-representation of women in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) fields has long been the focus of considerable scholarly attention [1][2][3][4][5] and public policy initiatives [6][7][8][9]. In particular, policy makers are concerned about a shortage of individuals trained for engineering and other STEM professions.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Instead, parents' role is often seen as "guiding, not deciding" for their children [42]. 3 Advice columnists and parenting guides urge parents to help their children pursue opportunities for self-discovery and appropriate information rather than direct them toward a goal of the parents' choosing [43]. In fact, as we will see, the vast majority of children pursue careers that differ from those of their parents.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Moreover, many self-employed individuals are supplementing other family income by working part-time. 3 Parents of students at the University of Minnesota divided roughly between those who felt parents should have "some" influence over their children's career choices (45%) and those who felt that parents should have "a little" or "very little" influence (49%) (University of Minnesota, 2011). Very few parents maintained that they should have "a lot" of influence (less than 2%, and only a small fraction felt that parents should have no influence (less than 4%).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Planning a Career in Engineering: Parental Effects on Sons and Daughters

2017

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This paper examines the extent to which prospective engineers follow in their parents' footsteps. Specifically, we investigate the connection between fathers' and mothers' employment in the engineering profession and the career plans of sons and daughters. We develop a number of reasons to expect an occupation-specific intergenerational association in this field, as well as hypotheses regarding gender-specific role-modeling. Data are drawn from the UCLA HERI Freshman Survey data spanning 1971 to 2011. The results point to clear and substantial effects on sons and daughters' plans to pursue engineering, connections that cannot be explained by typical pathways such as social background, education and values. The evidence points to a pattern of increasing salience of mothers with respect to the career plans of their children, especially their daughters. The implications of these findings for the under-representation of women in engineering and for gender-specific family dynamics are discussed in the conclusion.

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Investigating Forty Years of Stem Research: How Explanations for the Gender Gap Have Evolved Over Time

Abstract: The gender gap in college-level STEM remains a persistent issue despite increased efforts to under-

Cited by 126 publications

References 66 publications

Systematic Review of Research Trends in Robotics Education for Young Children

Systematic Review of Research Trends in Robotics Education for Young Children

Women in physics: A comparison to science, technology, engineering, and math education over four decades

Planning a Career in Engineering: Parental Effects on Sons and Daughters

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