How to increase girls’ participation in STEM disciplines?

Gender fair teaching good practices

With the support of Institut de Formation de l'Education Nationale (IFEN), the Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST) and its partners organise this conference in frame of the project Eramus+ Gender 4 STEM (https://www.list.lu/en/research/project/gender4stem/).

Nowadays, innovation is mainly driven by Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines. These skills are recognised as being key to rising to current challenges, which are leading to become knowledge-driven economies and societies. The problem is that girls seem to lack a calling for these disciplines and they are also very under-represented on courses in the disciplines in question.

Gender 4 STEM aims to tackle the low representation of girls in STEM education (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) and subsequently women in STEM careers. One of the reasons why STEM disciplines are unappealing to girls might be persistent stereotypes. Teachers are not always equipped to manage gender diversity in their classrooms. Educational materials also lack female characters, role-models likely to stir young girls' interest in these subjects from a young age.

In order to spark greater interest in STEM disciplines among girls, the Gender4STEM project aims to create an e-learning platform where educational and awareness-raising materials are available for use by secondary-level teachers.

The Gender 4 STEM project has started in September 2017. This conference aims to transfer first concrete results helping teachers to better deal gender issues in STEM education.

Objectives

Participants will know main gender stereotypes in STEM education
They are able to identify stereotyped situations and to use some good practises (contents, methods, tools…) to address them in teaching situations (preparation, animation, evaluation and careers guidance)
They are able to mobilize examples of female role models for inspire girls in choosing STEM education and careers.
They are required to question their own teaching practices regarding gender issues

Public

Lower and upper secondary school teachers (especially teachers in STEM disciplines), schools’ psychologists and career advisors, head of teachers, schools directors.

The conference will combine presentations and interactive sessions. E.g.: use of collaborative technology like ‘voxvote’ to crowdsource questions of the audience.

Programme

SHARING
12.00-13.00	Let’s get to know each other around a walking lunch
DISCOVERING GOOD PRACTICES ACROSS EUROPE
13.00-14.45	We unravel pupil-proof gender-fair teaching practises *13.00 - Introduction* Presentation of the project and introduction to the conference Marie Gallais (Gender 4 STEM project manager - LIST, Luxembourg) *13.30 - 1st good practice - Girls in ICT Day* A day dedicated to girls curious about computer science and information technology Marina Andrieu (Women in Digital Initiatives, Luxembourg) *13.45 - 2nd good practice - Ragazze Digitali Summer Camp of EWMD Italy and Unimore* Girls from secondary schools benefit of a one month immersive and hands on experience in coding Maria Sangiuliano (Smart Venice, Italy) 14.00 - 3rd good practice - Role models ‘speed dating’ \| Female STEM professionals talk with small groups of secondary schools pupils and provide girls with an image they could identify with Katharina Müller (VHTO, The Netherlands) 14.15 - Interactive session with the audience
14.45-15.00	Coffee break
INSPIRING GIRLS, TEACHERS AND WORKING WOMEN IN STEM
15.00-16.30	We animate a panel discussion of female role models in STEM. Draw from their experience to motivate your pupils Valeria Cagnina (Italy) is a teenager and since the age of 11 deeply engaged into robotics and technology. Today she tries to transmit her enthusiasm and passion to young people Elisabeth John (Luxembourg) holds a PhD in Biology and is coordinator of the Scienteens Lab at the Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine, University of Luxemburg Maria Corbet Nits (Romania) is an HVAC engineer (Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) and administrator at her company SC EXPERT SRL. Daria Petca (Romania) is a teenager and performs in Informatics. She is the winner of the Bronze Medal for the 11th grade for Informatics at the most prestigious National Contest called “Olimpiada of Information Technology”. Marija Bajica (Croatia) holds a Bsc in Applied Mathematics and Computer Science from the University of Zagreb. She worked previously in Europe and Australia (IBM Croatia, Oikon – Institute of Applied Ecology) ss the entrepreneur, manager and freelancer in the capacity of IT and project management consultant and trainer. She held a position of the President of the Project Management Institute Croatia for the period 2013-2018 Séréna Boukelmoun (Luxembourg) is a teenager and is a member of the girls in digital team who took part to the Game of Code in March 2018. She won 2 special awards: NextGen by SAP and Coup de coeur for their team spirit by La Bâloise.
16.30	Conclusion of the event