Presentation of the results of Study 1: Barriers to Female Participation in STEM post-secondary

programs

February, 2014

Methodology

• Literature review of international and Georgian practice

• Review of Georgia’s data from MoES, NAEC, EMIS, EQE, SSA & GeoStat

• Focus groups discussions with school students from 9th -12th grades

• Survey of secondary school students, teachers and parents only 9th & 12th

grades

• Survey of TVET students and faculty

• Survey of university students and faculty

• Secondary school students and parents, teachers

• Survey of employers

Main Messages

• Female STEM talent and skills are systematically lost as girls progress through

the education system

• Teachers and parents are less supportive of girls than boys with respect to

STEM

• As a consequence, girls don’t view themselves as capable as boys in STEM

fields and don’t apply for post-secondary education in STEM fields

• Post-secondary STEM fields and employment are “chilly” for girls

Main Message 1: Female STEM talent and skills are systematically lost as girls progress through the education system

• Girls equal or outperform boys on various tests of science and math.

• Grade 4 TIMSS 2011

• Grade 8 TIMSS 2011

• Grade 9 2010

• Age 15 PISA

• Grade 12 CAT – 2011 & 2012

• But do not continue into STEM fields at TVET or University at the same rate as

boys do

TIMSS Grade 4 Math TIMSS Grade 8 Math PISA Age 15 Math CAT Math0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

500454

430

381 382

447432

378 377

GIRLS BOYS

Scores on four tests of mathematics

No statistically significant differences between girls and boys in mathematics

Scores on four tests of science

TIMSS Grade 4 Science TIMSS Grade 8 Science PISA Age 15 Science CAT Science0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

500459

425

383 383

451

415

363 364

GIRLS BOYS

Girls outperform boys on four tests of science

Girls out-perform boys in Earth Science and Biology, and equal boys in Chemistry and Physics, TIMMS 2011

CHEMISTRY EARTH SCIENCE (Sig=.048)* BIOLOGY (Sig=.000)* PHYSICS0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

500

397.9422.4

451

402.3396.0416.6 429.6

404.3

GIRL (n=2203) BOY (n=2355)

Eighth grade students’ achievement scores for specific science subjects

* The difference between gender groups in these subjects is statistically significant (F)

Girls out-perform boys in Science and equal boys in Math on CAT

MATH (n=4646) SCIENCE (n=4646)*0.0

100.0

200.0

300.0

400.0

500.0

381.9 382.7377.4363.9

GIRLS BOYS

Grade 12 students’ achievement scores on CAT—Computer Adaptive Test

* The difference is statistically significant (Sig=.000)

Subjects 2011/F 2011/M 2012/F 2012/M

Mathematics 6.9 6.75 7.22 7.11

Biology 7.54 7.09 7.51 7.12

Chemistry 7.46 6.92 7.6 7.16

Physics 7.21 7.1 7.28 7.18

Geography 7.58 7.45 7.52 7.47

N 22778 22493 20405 20140

Girls are outperforming boys on most STEM subjects on the CAT, 2011 and 2012

A higher share of girls score over 7 points on the CAT test (Math and Science)

5 - 5.99 6 - 6.99 7 - 7.99 8 - 8.99 9 - 100.00

10.00

20.00

30.00

40.00

50.00

7.30

30.45

35.34

19.01

7.9011.14

38.67

30.71

13.51

5.98

GIRLS BOYS

Comparative performance average boys & girls, 2012 (%)

* The difference is statistically significant (Sig=.000)

Main Message 2: Teachers and Parents are Less Supportive of Girls than Boys, with respect to STEM

• Teachers think boys have more “STEM” abilities

• Parents report that hard sciences and math are more suited for their

sons than for their daughters in spite of actual performance

• These influences from teachers and parents combine to reinforce

stereotypes that STEM is more for boys than girls

Teachers give more positive feedback on STEM subjects to boys than to girls

MATH* BIOLOGY EARTH SCIENCE* CHEMISTRY** PHYSICS*0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

61

71

63

27

57

71 70 72

46

67

GIRLS BOYS

Percentage of students who report that: “My teacher tells me I am good at…”

The difference is statistically significant : *(Sig=.000) ** (Sig.=.020)

Teachers perceive boys are more able in STEM subjects

• About 42% of surveyed secondary teachers agreed that boys find

STEM subjects easier than girls do, some teachers’ comments were:

– Boys are more able to think fast

– Boys are more practical

– Boys are more technical

– Boys are more skillful and open-minded

But: Most girls think that their capabilities are no worse than boys in

STEM subjects

Parent influences make a difference

• It is also clear that parental and family attitudes also play a key role in

either encouraging girls to do well in STEM subjects or not; it appears

that parents are more likely to encourage boys and more likely to have

contact with sons’ math teachers than daughters’.

• 59.2% of school students agree that the role of family and social

expectations into women’s career development is very strong in

Georgia.

More boys than girls receive extra lessons in STEM subjects

MATH (n=4646)* SCIENCE (n=4646)**0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

70.0%

80.0%

90.0%

100.0%

38.3%

21.0%

43.6%

24.4%

GIRLS BOYS

Percent of students attending enrichment lessons by gender

The difference is statistically significant : *(Sig=.000) ** (Sig.=.007)

Main message 3: As a consequence, girls don’t view themselves as capable as boys in STEM fields and don’t apply for post-secondary education in STEM fields

Girls at school do not rate their ability as highly as boys And therefore girls are less likely than boys to consider a career in a

STEM field

Girls at school do not rate their ability as highly as boys

MATH* BIOLOGY EARTH SCIENCE* CHEMISTRY** PHYSICS*0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

43

6561

31

48

59

67 68

49

62

GIRLS BOYS

Percentage of students who report that: “I am good at working out difficult problems in... “

The difference is statistically significant : *(Sig=.000) ** (Sig.=.020)

And therefore girls are less likely than boys to consider a career in a STEM field

MATH* BIOLOGY EARTH SCIENCE* CHEMISTRY PHYSICS*0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

57

44

51

28

36

67

4640 39

50

GIRLS BOYS

Percentage of students who report that: “I would like a job that involves using... “Source TIMMS 2011

* The difference is statistically significant (Sig=.000)

Main Message 4: Post-secondary STEM field and employment are “Chilly” for girls

• Fewer scholarships in STEM fields

• Fewer female classmates in STEM fields

• Gender stereotyped female role models in TVET

• Fewer STEM female role models at University

• Unsupportive STEM employers

Agriculture Engineering, manufacturing and construction Science0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

21

137

234

39

1074

523

Female Male

TVET IV-V level program admission 2009-2013

Girls have few female classmates in TVET STEM programs

Agriculture Engineering, manufacturing and construction Science0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

588

1241

3229

1049

3683

5255

Female Male

Admission for Bachelors’ Degree 2009-2013

Girls have few female classmates in university STEM programs

Girls have few female full professor role models

ISU ATSU (2006) TSU (2006)0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

54%50%

61%61%

35%

51%

30%

9%

32%

Assistant professor

Associate professor

Full professor

Female representation in all staff positions in three Georgian universities

The workplace: a welcoming place for women?

Organizations which have no special benefits for pregnant woman

Organizations which have no maternity benefits

Organizations which have child day care facilities

74.7%

80.0%

0.0%

Source: IPM Research Employer Survey

A few women in STEM workplace

Organizations which don't think that they would take any benefit from increased inclusion of women

Permanent STEM jobs

Full-time seasonal or temporary jobs are held by women

92.0%

25.8%

13.0%

How can Georgia recapture lost female talent and skills? Summary of recommendations

• Gender awareness development in education

• A school based program to eliminate gender stereotyping

• Improved career guidance and information about post secondary

education in STEM

• Improved information about scholarships

• A programme to popularise and proactively encourage STEM careers,

especially for women

• An employer, HEI and TVET program to promote gender balance