The Single Sex Debate for Girls in Science: A Comparison between Two Informal Science Programs on Middle School Students' STEM Identity Formation

Autor/inn/en	Hughes, Roxanne M.; Nzekwe, Brandon; Molyneaux, Kristen J.
Titel	The Single Sex Debate for Girls in Science: A Comparison between Two Informal Science Programs on Middle School Students' STEM Identity Formation
Quelle	In: Research in Science Education, 43 (2013) 5, S.1979-2007 (29 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0157-244X
DOI	10.1007/s11165-012-9345-7
Schlagwörter	Program Effectiveness; Single Sex Classes; Science Education; Womens Education; STEM Education; Adolescents; Gender Differences; Access to Education; Gender Bias; Teaching Methods; Cognitive Style; Language Usage; Social Bias; Identification (Psychology); Middle School Students; Day Camp Programs; Role Models; Learning Activities; Comparative Analysis + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Single-sex classes; Single-sex schools; Single sex schools; Getrenntgeschlechtliche Erziehung; Schule; Naturwissenschaftliche Bildung; 'Women''s education'; Frauenbildung; STEM; Adolescent; Adolescence; Adoleszenz; Jugend; Jugendalter; Jugendlicher; Geschlechterkonflikt; Education; Access; Bildung; Zugang; Bildungszugang; Geschlechterstereotyp; Teaching method; Lehrmethode; Unterrichtsmethode; Cognitive styles; Kognitiver Stil; Sprachgebrauch; Middle school; Middle schools; Student; Students; Mittelschule; Mittelstufenschule; Schüler; Schülerin; Identifikationsfigur; Lernaktivität
Abstract	Currently, there are policy debates regarding the efficacy and legality of single sex formal and informal education programs. This issue is particularly poignant in science education due to the historical marginalization of women in these fields. This marginalization has resulted in women being positioned as a stigmatized group within many science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) related fields. Research points to adolescence as the age where this sense of marginalization begins to develop. As a result, policy responses have utilized various frameworks such as: increased access for women, changing pedagogy to address women's learning styles, changing the language and culture of science to prevent marginalization of stigmatized groups, and finally exploring the role that individual identity plays in the marginalization of women. This study adds to the policy debate as it applies to single sex education by comparing middle school participants' STEM identity formation during two informal science learning environments (an all girls' STEM camp and a co-educational STEM camp). Additionally, this study focuses on the influence of camp activities within two informal science education programs: particularly the provision of role models and authentic STEM research activities, as means to improve STEM identity and make these fields relevant to the lives of middle school students. The results indicate that both camps improved girls' STEM identities. These findings suggest that the single sex environment is not as important to STEM identity as the pedagogy used within the program. (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10