What Do We Know About Gender Differences In Science?

When asked "What don't you like about your science class?", two popular responses from middle school-aged girls are, "The tests are often too hard and I feel a lot of pressure to perform well in this class," and "We have really smart people in our class that know everything so most of us look bad in science."

These feelings are popular among middle school through college girls and young women. Girls seem to have taken the back-seat in science classrooms starting in junior high and continuing through college. Girls are less likely than boys to participate and speak up in the science classroom. Girls are less likely than boys to raise their hands in class in fear of being incorrect and looking "dumb". Boys, on the other hand, are more likely to call out answers to questions and ask more questions.

From kindergarten through fifth grade, boys and girls tend to perform at the same level in science. However, by junior high school, girls' confidence and interest in science classes begin to drop lower than boys. At the same time, girls tend to blame their failures in the classroom on themselves, whereas boys tend to blame external factors such as an unfair teacher or a test that is too hard.

How does the Science Classroom Play a Role in Gender differences?
Stereotypes

Typically, girls are stereotyped as being passive, well behaved, and obedient. Boys are stereotyped being assertive, rowdy, and vocal.

It has been shown that teachers are more willing to accept assertive behavior from boys than girls in the classroom. When boys call out answers, teachers acknowledge the answers. Teachers are also more likely to call on boys to volunteer an answer.

So it seems that children fulfill the stereotypical roles of boys and girls in the classroom. Girls act more passive than boys. They are afraid their answers may be wrong. Therefore, they participate less in classroom activities.

Encouragement

Encouragement from the teacher also plays an important role in the behavior of girls and boys in the classroom. For example, teachers tend to communicate with boys in the classroom 10 percent more than they do with girls. This attention may encourage boys to participate more in the classroom.

According to the American Association of University Women, when it comes to schoolwork, 90 percent of the praise teachers give to boys deals with the intellectual material found in their work. On the other hand, 80 percent of the praise given to girls addresses the neatness or organization of their work.

In contrast, when it comes to criticizing the schoolwork of the students, 90 percent of this criticism received by girls is aimed directly at the overall quality of their work. In comparison, of the criticism that is received by boys, only 50 percent is directed to the overall quality of their work.

Classroom Materials

Classroom materials can have a great effect on the gender gap in science. Many teaching aids present a biased view of women's roles in science. Textbooks and lecture materials often have little or no representation of successful women in the field of science. This lack of representation teaches girls that science is a 'man's field.'

Movies that are shown to illustrate science experiments and science occupations also lack representation of women. Although these movies are intended to educate the students on the material, they simultaneously teach girls that science is strictly for men. Because they do not see women represented in these movies, they lack female role models in the science field.

How You Can Help

Provide Opportunities for Girls to Engage in the Classroom
Hands-on approach:

Include activities that give students the opportunity to perform themselves. (see 'Fun Science Experiments)
Provide opportunities to apply science concepts and make connections between material learned in the classroom and students' every day lives.
Examine the textbook that you are using and make sure that it is not gender biased. See if you can change books or find a supplementary book that more fairly represents women in science.

Encourage Girls to Explore and Experiment

Inform girls that many daily activities deal with science. For example, explain the process of photosynthesis in relation to gardening, show the uses of chemistry in baking, etc.
Encourage girls to buy a chemistry set, telescope, or any other type of scientific product.
Take a survey, find out what types of scientific-related topics students are interested in, incorporate these findings in lecture material and activities.
Remain open to all suggestions, paying close attention to the requests of girls. Reassure them that it is okay to ask questions. In fact, encourage them to ask questions!

Fun Science Experiments

HOME MADE TORNADOES

Materials:

2 two liter bottles (empty)
rubber hose cut in to 2inch sections
water
food coloring
glitter

Directions:

Fill one of the empty bottles with water.
Have the students mix in food coloring, glitter, and any other type of decoration they would like to see spinning in their tornado. (Hint: monopoly houses work well for a cute 'Wizard of Oz" theme!)
After all of the "ingredients" are added, connect the empty bottle to the full one with the rubber hose, making sure it is a tight fit.
After they are connected, simply spin the bottle in a circular motion with the full bottle on top-an instant tornado!

LIGHT REFRACTION

Materials:

pencil
glass of water

Directions:

Fill the glass 2/3 full of water.
Place the pencil in the glass holding it straight up and down.
Take the pencil and let it lean against the side of the glass.
Look through the glass at the pencil.
Notice the 'bent pencil' in the water.

CAPILLARY ACTION

Materials:

plastic wrap
thin knitting needle
tape
food coloring
glass
water

Directions:

Wrap the plastic wrap around the knitting needle and then tape the edges so that you have formed a tube. (Remember, the more narrow the tube, the more pronounced the capillary effect will be.)
Once you have taped the plastic wrap, pull out the knitting needle.
Make sure that the new plastic tube is open at both ends.
Pour a little of the food coloring into a glass half filled with water.
Place your plastic tube into the glass of water.
Examine the tube carefully. The dye should climb up the tube above the level of the liquid in the glass.
(Hint: Try the same experiment with varying levels of water in the glass.)

GALILEO'S FREE FALL GRAVITY

Materials:

partner
chair
newspaper
2 oranges
grape

Directions:

Place newspapers on the floor around the chair.
Stand on the chair while your partner lays on the floor peering at the newspaper.
Hold the 2 oranges in each hand. Extend your arms straight out away from your body (and over the newspapers) so that orange is the same height from the floor.
Let go of both oranges at the same time.
Ask if both oranges hit the floor at the same time.
Now stand in the same position but this time hold an orange in one hand and a grape (or some other small object) in the other hand.
Let go of both of these objects at the some time.
(Note how the orange and the grape still hit the floor at the some time-that's gravity!)

DENSITY

Materials:

syrup
cooking oil
water
piece of plastic
cork
grape

Directions:

Pour 1/3 cup of syrup into the glass jar.
Now pour 1/3 cup of cooking oil into the jar.
Finally, pour 1/3 cup of water into the jar.
Let the contents settle for a few minutes.
Drop a piece of plastic, a grape, and a small cork into the liquid.
Note the different layers of density.

© National Parent Information Network

Credits: Sarah Faye Coffman, Melissa Renee Onstad, Sara