Journal article
Gender representation and academic achievement among STEM‐interested students in college STEM courses
Journal of research in science teaching, Vol.59(10), pp.1876-1900
05/14/2022
DOI: 10.1002/tea.21778
Appears in UI Libraries Support Open Access
Abstract
Substantial gender equity gaps in postsecondary degree completion persist within many science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines, and these disparities have not narrowed during the 21st century. Various explanations of this phenomenon have been offered; one possibility that has received limited attention is that the sparse representation of women itself has adverse effects on the academic achievement—and ultimately the persistence and graduation—of women who take STEM courses. This study explored the relationship between two forms of gender representation (i.e., the proportion of female students within a course and the presence of a female instructor) and grades within a sample of 11,958 STEM-interested undergraduates enrolled in 8686 different STEM courses at 20 colleges and universities. Female student representation within a course predicted greater academic achievement in STEM for all students, and these findings were generally stronger among female students than male students. Female students also consistently benefitted more than male students from having a female STEM instructor. These findings were largely similar across a range of student and course characteristics and were robust to different analytic approaches; a notable exception was that female student representation had particularly favorable outcomes for female students (relative to male students) within mathematics/statistics and computer science courses.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Gender representation and academic achievement among STEM‐interested students in college STEM courses
- Creators
- Nicholas A. Bowman - University of IowaChristine Logel - University of WaterlooJennifer LaCosse - University of Michigan–FlintLindsay Jarratt - University of IowaElizabeth A. Canning - Washington State UniversityKatherine T. U. Emerson - Indiana University BloomingtonMary C. Murphy - Indiana University Bloomington
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Journal of research in science teaching, Vol.59(10), pp.1876-1900
- DOI
- 10.1002/tea.21778
- ISSN
- 0022-4308
- eISSN
- 1098-2736
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Grant note
- DOI: 10.13039/100020071, name: Raikes Foundation; DOI: 10.13039/100000865, name: Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, award: INV‐016864; DOI: 10.13039/501100008982, name: National Science Foundation of Sri Lanka, award: 1661004
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 05/14/2022
- Academic Unit
- Sociology and Criminology; Educational Policy and Leadership Studies; Center for Social Science Innovation; Public Policy Center (Archive)
- Record Identifier
- 9984283569602771
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