STEM Education for Girls: Bridging the Gender Gap through Inclusive Education

September 26, 2024 / Heather Reyes

A young girl, wearing safety goggles and a pink t-shirt with a flower design, is deeply engaged in a science experiment—an inspiring example of STEM education for girls in action. As she watches a beaker filled with swirling brown liquid, her hand rests on the table, and her face shows focused curiosity. Surrounded by other beakers and bottles, she is clearly captivated by the experiment, representing the excitement and wonder that STEM education for girls brings to scientific exploration. It’s a moment full of discovery, highlighting how such learning opportunities can inspire girls to explore the world around them.

As parents, we all want our children to have opportunities for success, regardless of whether they are boys or girls. In the future, about 90% of jobs will require proficient digital skills, which heavily rely on STEM education. This makes it essential for both boys and girls to receive quality STEM education from an early age, particularly to ensure that girls are equally prepared for future careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

However, girls have consistently been underrepresented in STEM fields. In a 2021 UNESCO article titled "To be Smart the Digital Revolution will Need to be Inclusive", it was highlighted that according to a 2018 study, only one-fifth (22%) of professionals in cutting-edge fields like artificial intelligence are women. This disparity underscores the need for targeted initiatives that promote STEM education for girls, helping to close the gender gap in these vital areas.

In the United States, women make up 46% of the workforce, yet only 26% of those in the tech industry are women.[1] In the UK, the proportion of women in STEM workforce is only about 24%.[2]

This gap not only limits the potential contributions of half the population but also deprives the STEM field of the diverse perspectives and talents needed for innovation and progress.

UNESCO emphasizes in its report: "Efforts to promote gender equality must start early, as children begin to understand the concept of gender between the ages of three and seven, and gendered stereotypes also influence children's self-perceptions and interests from this age."

Promoting gender equality in STEM is not just about fairness; it's about ensuring our daughters can pursue their interests and talents without barriers. By encouraging girls to explore STEM fields, we open up a world of unlimited possibilities for them and for society as a whole.

A young girl with long, curly brown hair, wearing a black and white polka dot dress, is smiling as she carefully places a green leaf onto a wooden cactus model. The cactus is part of a science experiment, and there are two small glass bottles filled with colourful liquids nearby. The girl is clearly enjoying herself, and she is excited to see how the experiment will turn out. The scene is full of childlike curiosity and the joy of learning. It looks like the girl is having a lot of fun exploring the world around her.

Barriers Girls Face in Pursuing STEM Education

One of the main barriers girls face is social and cultural bias. From an early age, girls are often subtly steered away from STEM subjects. Toys, media, and even well-meaning adults can reinforce the stereotype that "science and technology are for boys." This notion can undermine girls' confidence and interest in these fields.

Another significant challenge is the misconception that STEM fields are too difficult or unsuitable for girls, coupled with the lack of visible female role models and mentors in STEM. This can lead to girls doubting their abilities and avoiding subjects they might actually enjoy and excel in.

How to Encourage More Girls to Enter STEM Fields?

Provide Relatable Female Role Models

This is one of the most effective ways to encourage girls to enter STEM fields. When girls see successful women in STEM, they can better envision themselves in these roles. Women Techmaker and Women in STEM offer numerous stories and news about women who have excelled in STEM fields. Seeing these real role models makes girls believe: "If she can do it, I can do it too."

Provide Fun Ways to Engage in STEM Activities

Engaging in STEM activities through experiments and hands-on projects can help girls cultivate curiosity about science and problem-solving skills, thus building confidence in STEM learning.

For instance, children can learn math while making pizza, understand engineering and science by creating automated machines or probability machines, and learn about modern technology through coin sorters. Compared to boring courses that only focus on theoretical concepts, these activities provide a more fun and accessible way to help more children learn and love STEM.

A young girl, wearing a white and colourful polka dot top, is using a paper cone to blow air into a small wooden device. The device is attached to a wooden stand with a red spool of string. There are three cards on the stand, each with a different picture of a sea creature. The girl is concentrating hard, and she looks like she is enjoying her experiment. The scene is full of childlike curiosity and the joy of discovery. It looks like the girl is about to learn something new and exciting about the world around her.

Provide More Opportunities for Team Collaboration

Teamwork is a key aspect of STEM education. Collaborative learning gives girls opportunities to work with others, share ideas, and develop communication and leadership skills. Team projects show girls that their contributions are valuable, which will inspire them to lead and succeed in team environments.

Tinkerer STEAM Box Provides Opportunities for More Girls to Enter STEM Fields

If you don't know where to start, a Tinkerer STEAM Box will be a great choice. Melissa Lee, a project expert at Brilliant Labs, shares: "The 'A' in STEAM introduces real-life applications and plays a crucial role in design and project building, making traditionally male-dominated areas more approachable."

STEAM Box adopts a gender-inclusive design, not limited to the traditional "blue for boys, pink for girls" mindset. At the same time, through diverse themes and activities, gender-neutral roles and stories, it shows children that girls, just like boys, can handle various complex roles and tasks.

Although when mentioning scientists, most of the images that come to our minds are still male characters. But in this Chemical Tornado STEAM activity, do you see the silhouette of our budding little female scientist? All you need to do is give them a chance.

A young girl, wearing safety goggles and a light blue shirt, leans over a table to observe a beaker of swirling liquid. She is wearing white gloves and her expression is one of focused curiosity. There are three beakers filled with liquid on the table, as well as several small bottles. The beaker is sitting on a small, grey and white machine. The scene is full of scientific exploration and the thrill of discovery. It looks like the girl is having a lot of fun learning about the world around her.

While it’s often suggested that some children may show different levels of interest in math, this can stem from limited exposure to its engaging aspects. In activities like the Mini Market, when facing various math and trading challenges, you'll see that girls often perform even better than boys!

As a parent, I know you love your girl, but you might subconsciously not buy airplanes or cannons as gifts for them. But if they were a boy, the situation might be different. However, the joy of hitting a target with a handmade handheld cannon or bow and arrow knows no gender. If girls have the opportunity to choose, they might take a completely different path.

A young girl, dressed as a pirate with a black felt hat adorned with a skull and crossbones, is holding a blue toy sword. She is winking at the camera and looking determined. The girl is sitting on the floor in front of a grey sofa, and there are two wooden pirate figures standing on a cardboard box behind her. The scene is full of childlike fun and imagination. It looks like the girl is ready for adventure, and she is using her imagination to create a world of her own.

A mother who subscribed to our STEAM Box once wrote this review:

"Although I'm a mother who is extremely poor at science and engineering, I've always hoped that my daughter could develop in STEM fields. Tinkerer STEAM Box provides us with an excellent platform to help her learn scientific knowledge while playing. Her enthusiasm for learning even infects me, and I've wondered more than once if I would have fallen in love with science if I had access to these things when I was young."

Some Resources That Can Help Your Girls

In addition to STEAM boxes, there are many resources aimed at narrowing the gender gap in STEM fields. Parents and educators can use these resources to support girls' STEM education. These resources provide valuable opportunities for girls to develop skills, connect with mentors, and join like-minded communities.

STEMettes: Offers various activities, lectures, and workshops to help girls understand STEM careers and build relevant skills.

Girls Who Code: This is a global organization focused on encouraging girls to learn programming skills. It offers free summer and after-school courses for girls learning to code.

Girlguiding: Provides special STEM projects and activities designed to inspire girls to explore science and technology fields.

Code Club: This is an organization aimed at helping children learn programming, especially at the primary school stage. They offer various programming courses designed to spark girls' interest in technology.

The Royal Academy of Engineering: Here you will learn how to become an engineer and get many role model stories of female engineers. You can also explore rich STEM resources here.

Empowering the Next Generation of Female STEM Leaders

Fostering girls' interest and participation in STEM fields is more important than ever. As parents, educators, and policymakers, we have the power to create a more inclusive and equal STEM future for our children. By providing the right tools, resources, and encouragement, we can help girls excel in STEM fields.

Explore Tinkerer STEAM Box and other educational opportunities to help girls discover their potential and passion for STEM, empowering them to become the next generation of female scientists, engineers, mathematicians, and innovators, giving them the power to change the future. Let's work together to narrow the gender gap and ensure that every child has the opportunity to thrive in the world of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

To be smart, the digital revolution will need to be inclusive: excerpt from the UNESCO science report

https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000375429

【1】Data from Women Techmaker:

https://www.instagram.com/p/C38Sij5PRmw/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

【2】Data from stemettes:

https://stemettes.org/

From access to empowerment: UNESCO strategy for gender equality in and through education 2019-2025

https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000369000

Women Techmaker

https://www.instagram.com/p/C38Sij5PRmw/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Women in STEM

https://www.womeninstem.co.uk/