I’ve known for a while now that women are under-represented in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math) occupations. I always assumed most women just didn’t tend to gravitate towards those type of occupations. It never crossed my mind that social cues were playing a role in how women thought about themselves in terms of what they could achieve. You can watch the video that changed my thought process here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/06/24/verizon-ad-tells-parents-to-encourage-girls_n_5526236.html?ncid=fcbklnkushpmg00000046&ir=Women
According to a recent report, “The State of Girls & Women in STEM” conducted by the National
Girls Collaborative project, “girls and boys don’t differ in their abilities in
math and science, but they do differ in their confidence in math and science
related subjects.” Consider the
following statistics I also learned from the report:
·
Males are three
times more likely to be interested in STEM college majors and careers.
·
Males make up 53% of the workforce, but 82% of
engineering degrees, 82% of computer science degrees, and 81% of physic degrees.
·
Only 1:10 scientists and engineers are minority
women.
·
66% of 4th grade girls say they enjoy
math and science, but only 18% major in these fields in college.
I’m sure I don’t have to tell you that most STEM occupations
make higher wages than their liberal arts counterparts, and individuals in STEM
occupations are more likely to climb the corporate ladder and become CEO’s. Having less women in these occupations make
it harder for us to earn comparable wages and promotions.
So my question to you this week is, “What do you think can
be done to encourage young girls and women to pursue STEM majors and degrees? Do you think social cues affect how young
women feel about their own abilities?”
Answers are due no later than Wednesday, July 30th, 2014.
In the video it showed the adults like in a charlie brown scene. You never see them but you have to listen. Adults that are in any child's life should be doing projects with them finding out their interest and joining in. Social cues play a big role for young girls. "Because girls are 'living dolls' they cant do much" I wanted to try out fort my schools football team when I was younger and knew I could do it but as soon as my mom heard she wasnt mad so much as not having it but my grandmother heard and it was off the table. Girls become women and women are meant to carry babies so rough housing and climbing on things might damage it all
ReplyDeleteI think that schools should have mandatory STEM workshops to encourage not only girls but boys as well to open their horizons in a world of science and math and let their imaginations take them into a world of wonders to motivate them to excel in what the have a passion for. I think that todays society is too focused on keeping up with their peers and wondering what everyone else would think of them. But if the schools make a workshop mandatory for at least once a month then they would see that theyre not the only ones interested in STEM. I believe that the percentage of young girls would raise higher at least 3% by just encouragement alone.
ReplyDeleteI think that starting at home parents should let their children explore their options. If their little girls like to count and build things let them do it. They can balance out being a girl and building towers and spaceships. Then the schools should encourage everyone not only boys to be involved in science clubs and workshop. Children's friends effect their decisions at a young age such as what is popular or cool to do. Parents should 1: monitor who they let their children hang out with and 2: let their children be open minded about what they are interested in and what they think is cool or fun to do. A big help that could encourage girls to be whatever they want is to show them the big CEO's and Math geniuses that are women to show and proven to younger girls that they do have a chance to make it big and be smart and not be ashamed of doing what they love.
ReplyDeleteWhat could be done to encourage young girls and women to pursue STEM majors and degrees? I believe that the answer can be found in the question. Encouragement! We need to encourage young girls to do that which they are interested in. I do not think we should point them directly to STEM, but encourage them if that is what they want. Also, awareness for parents would be a major approach in eliminating negative social cues.
ReplyDeleteI do believe that social cues have a have major impact on any person’s mentality, not just young girls and women. If you tell a person that they are incompetent long enough they will believe it. I think that there are a lot of positive female role models today that are helping to demolish the negative impacts of social cues. However, there is still a long road ahead before men and women will be treated as equals.
What I think should be done should be more encouragement for girls to do what they want to do and are interested in. There should also be more information given to girls starting from Jr. high to high school for when they are starting to think about what they want to do with their lives and what they want to study in college. I do believe that social cues are a huge factor in why girls feel they can't pursue an education in STEM fields. What they see and hear makes a still thought with them that only males can be successful within those degrees which is completely far from the truth.
ReplyDeleteI believe social cues do affect how women and young girls choose whether or not to go into STEM programs. In the video they don't really show the parents, which at times felt like the parents weren't involved in what the girl was doing, so they didn't pay attention and realized she was having fun working on the planet display or helping her brother with the rocket. They just wanted her to do things other girls do. I think having classes where everyone works on subjects that have to do with STEM would help women become more involved in those fields. My old high school would put up signs encouraging girls to join the IT field and sign up for computer classes, although while I was there only 2 girls ever signed up and attended the classes.
ReplyDeleteOne word, Belief, if women and girls can be leave in themselves they have a better chance of being confident enough to want to apply themselves in the future such as college and the workforce.
ReplyDeleteTo encourage young girls and women to pursue in STEM majors and degrees, starts from the basis when their were young. Teach them at a young age. Don’t limit the their options. Let them explore, learn and grow. If they want to be curious let them be curious. I know when I was young, I went to a science and technology elementary school. We did a lot of hands on experiments in the science labs. These hands on labs helped me learn that it’s okay, to get your hands dirty. Also, adverting it more to would encouraging. Showcasing that a mans job can indeed be a women’s job. And I do believe that social cues do play a major affect on young women because they have an image of being well-dressed, well-mannered and no suppose to be that boys do.
ReplyDeleteI think from what I've seen in the video instead of targeting kids they should target the parents first then the kids as they get older. From what I was hearing in the video the parents have the old school mentality of having the traditional gender roles like back in their time. They need to understand that its not like that anymore and if they want their kids to be really successful in life they need to encourage them to find that interest and if the kids already do, then don't take that from them. Parents should be supportive on what their kids want to be in life. Its like my mom told me "I don't care what you want to be or do in your life as long as you go do it, bcome successfull and enjoy what you do. Just make something great out of it." I believe parents should be more like that. I do believe social cues plays a part, but only a small part. That really shouldnt stop them from pursuing what they want to be, and now a days the social cues should have the very least effect on them or anyone for that matter. Were in a rebellious age and from what I'm seeing everyone is doing what they want. The only person that can really stop you from what you really want to become is yourself. (and God if he decides you should die right now). That's what I think.
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ReplyDeleteI know I already commented and this is late but I came across this today :
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=always+%23likeagirl
Females are more than capable of perusing majors of this calibre. Because of their genes and how they're built there isn't much that could be done for encouragement. Do social cues affect.. It can play a role because women take after other women so if a young woman had a mother or a grandmother that had the attitude of I can do whatever I put my mind to do then that mentality will be instilled as a child.
ReplyDelete~Vin
I mixed feelings about encougraging just one avenue for a child. I have five children and want to encourage them to pursue their desires and what they have a pashion for learning. If that is in the sciences then fine. If not then I will encourage them to follow other pursuits. To encourage a child toward certain fields just because some feel as though there are not enough woman represented is wrong. If a child is pushed toward a career that was not of their choosing they will at some point realize what they could have done had they followed the desires of their own choosing. The social cues that are children are picking up on are the result of those that do not pay attention to the words and emotions that are exiting our mouths. We are not purfect and cannot possibly understand how every child is going to react and interpret what is being said. We can only try to help our children understand the love we have for them and that we only wish for them to be happy and successful in whatever they choose pursue.
ReplyDeleteThat video made me sad that she was so interested in science and her parents kept shutting her down. I thought it was cool she was painting planets instead of her nails, and if that were my daughter, I definitely would have let her keep it up. My parents were never that way with me, my dad always let me paint the house, drill stuff, and catch crawdads in the creek. My mom thought it was gross and I think she wanted me to be a bit more girly, but having my dad's support on wanting to try out different things gave me a lot more confidence. So, I think having your parent's support in what you want to do would be helpful. My dad loves science and always enforced it on me and my brother, and I never felt ashamed for loving it. I definitely think if your parents and peers keep putting you down for what you love to do, you may eventually just stray away from it.
ReplyDeleteI feel parents and schools should do more to encourage girls to follow their dreams. Teach them that they are capable of pursuing a career in STEM.
ReplyDeleteSocial Cues have a big effect on girls. The way you say a word can really effect the way someone feels
This has been stated before, but I agree with the earlier posts. Girls just need more encouragement if and when they want to pursue those types of careers. Even if they don't want to pursue one of those, they should get encouragement to do whatever they want.
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