NEIT16+Open+Space+2H+-+Sunset+2

Girls in STE(A)M

//This is only nominally about Girls in STEM. The real issue is diversity and inclusiveness.//

Strong recommendation for the GAINS Conference (Girls Advancing in STEM): http://gainsnetwork.org/ Another recommendation for the NYSAIS Brain Conference: http://www.nysais.org/page.cfm?id=3094&verbose=9816&backcal=3094

We need to make an extra effort to create opportunities and invitations to those who could be (or feel) excluded.

Need to make spaces for girl whether as their own activity (ex. Girls coding activities) or within our existing curricula

Males apply for positions of leadership more readily without the hesitance the females do about whether they are qualified for the position

Dress codes are biased against girls
 * Arvind Grover says that we should be raising better boys to address the problem
 * Policing girls does not address the problem of raising better boys

Raising better boys is a big part of the solution. They need to be taught how to interact appropriately and thoughtfully.

We have to think about how we treat boys and girls. Who do we call on? Who do we hold to a higher standard? Who do we tell to smile?

Boys behavior can be discouraging to girls, either through their treatment of girls or their acting out that is disruptive to the learning environment.

Gina Marcel focuses on social emotional learning (SEL) for her lower school technology curriculum.

Many of us note that we have high performing girls in lower and middle school but see them shift (in interest, performance, etc.) as they get older.
 * We can push them and ask them about their interest
 * We can expose them to interests they might not know that they had yet (engineering, architecture, biomedical field)
 * We can make the work meaningful and purposeful for them by taking on authentic problems

Mentioned in the session: TinkerCAD has been a problem for some in the past, but Autodesk's Project Ignite addresses many old headaches (COPPA, logins, etc.)

https://projectignite.autodesk.com/ http://gainsnetwork.org/ http://www.nysais.org/page.cfm?id=3094&verbose=9816&backcal=3094 https://projectignite.autodesk.com/