Gender Equity in Education Commons^™

Constructing Female High School Students’ Stem Self-Efficacy: The Role Of High School Stem Research Experiences, Hyunjin Son

Dissertations

In the U.S., nearly a quarter of the workforce is employed in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) occupations. However, the STEM workforce lacks diversity, limiting perspectives to address real-world problems facing society. While many factors influence decisions to pursue STEM majors in college and enter the STEM workforce, one factor commonly associated with performance and persistence in STEM is STEM self-efficacy. Independent research experiences have been shown to increase conceptual understanding and confidence in STEM, leading to STEM degrees and careers. As high school co-curricular STEM research opportunities become more common, the effects of such experiences on students’ STEM …

“It’S A Lot More To It Than Just Research”: Integrating Critical Data Literacy And Reasoning With Data Into A Stem Summer Camp, Marc T. Sager, Saki L. Milton, Candace Walkington

Publications

Purpose: This study explores how middle-grade girls from predominantly underrepresented and underserved racially and ethnically minoritized (UUREM) backgrounds developed critical data literacy (CDL) through participation in a week-long residential STEM camp. Given the increasing importance of data science education in a data-driven world, this research examines how informal learning environments can support CDL development among youth from historically marginalized groups.

Design/Methodology/Approach: The study draws on qualitative interview data from eleven participants, and their group-produced artifacts to investigate how the camp experience supported engagement with data and the development of CDL. Interviews explored participants' experiences with data collection, organization, analysis, and …

Exploring The Lived Experiences Of Black Women In Undergraduate Stem Core Expansion Pathways, Lizzie L. Evans Martinez Alvarez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The use of social incongruence in the film Hidden Figures, which juxtaposed with STEM education as the most powerful in contrast with Black women as the least powerful, supported the argument for the specific problem of practice to examine the unmet need for socially and ethnically diverse student populations in U.S. STEM higher education and careers. The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological research study was to identify and analyze the lived experiences of Black women regarding barriers they perceive in the STEM educational and career decision-making processes, while exploring transformational pathways to STEM academic success. The study specifically analyzed …

An Autoethnography Of A Scholar Practitioner: Applying Social-Emotional Learning In A Math Classroom Through A Feminist Lens, Resha Layla Hissen

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Math anxiety occurs when individuals experience fear and stress while engaging in mathematical tasks (Lopez-Ramírez et al., 2025). While math anxiety is often examined through its impact on students, this autoethnography explores it through the lived experience of a Middle Eastern female mathematician and educator. Grounded in social-emotional learning (SEL) and feminist theory, this study investigates how personal, cultural, and gender-related experiences of mathematical trauma have shaped the author’s pedagogical approach. By tracing a personal journey from anxiety and emotional suppression to empowerment and reflective teaching, this work highlights strategies for integrating SEL and feminist-informed practices into K-12 public school …

Engaging Minds: Assessing The Impact Of Arts-Integration On Science Achievement And Engagement Using Planned Experimentation, Fonda G. Dupre

All Dissertations

Elementary science education is essential for fostering inquiry, critical thinking, and problem-solving, yet it is often reduced or deprioritized due to the pressures of high-stakes testing in reading and mathematics. Despite federal calls for a well-rounded education under the Every Student Succeeds Act (2015), instructional time for science remains limited in many schools, particularly in under-resourced and high-poverty contexts. This reduction of science instruction time exacerbates achievement gaps and limits student engagement and interest in STEM fields.

This planned experiment investigates whether Arts-Integrated science instruction can increase student engagement and improve academic achievement among fourth-grade students at Foothills Academy of …

Gender Disparity In Students’ Performance Of Science And Mathematics: Evidence From Nationwide Study In Pakistan, Sadia Muzaffar Bhutta, Aisha Naz Ansari, Sohail Ahmad

Institute for Educational Development, Karachi

Gender disparity in science and mathematics performance is being researched internationally. In a complex education system, like Pakistan, studying the difference in isolation may not generate holistic understanding. Therefore, this paper investigates changes in trends of performance in Science and Mathematics for both genders across public and private schools. Data were gathered from a nationwide sample of elementary grades students (n=15,391) using SATs/MATS. Independent t-test and two-way-ANOVA were employed to analyse data. Results revealed that girls outperformed boys in Science (p<0.01) while no gender differences in performance were observed in Mathematics. Gender and school systems demonstrated significant interaction effect only in mathematics, unveiling that girls perform better in public schools while this difference diminished in the private school system. The results show implications for employing gender-fair policies and practices in science and mathematics education.

Incorporating Sex-Diverse And Gender-Inclusive Perspectives In Higher Education Biology Courses, Breanne N. Harris, A Kelsey Lewis, Sam L. Sharpe, Teri J. Orr, Christopher T. Martine, Chloe C. Josefson

Faculty Journal Articles

Inclusive teaching is teaching in a way that reaches all students in the classroom; this is beneficial for everyone, particularly for those with minoritized identities. Instructors play a critical role in scaffolding how students are exposed to and learn science content in the classroom. In this manuscript, we discuss how biology instructors can make their classrooms more inclusive with regard to sex and gender diversity content. Many topics in biology are based on androcentric, heteronormative, and oppressive framing, even though those lenses are more reflective of our own history and culture than they are of the diversity we see in …

Exploration Of The Lived Experiences Of Native American Science Teachers Of The Great Plains: A Narrative Inquiry, Uma Ganesan

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Theses and Other Student Research

The complicated history of the education of Native American children through U.S. government-sponsored practices has led to the elimination of the Native children’s sense of Indian identity, culture, and language (Noel, 2002). In addition, increased emphasis on standardization and high-stakes accountability under the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 has resulted in less culturally responsive educational efforts and more Indigenous students left behind in school systems (Castagno & Brayboy, 2008). This has led to Indigenous students being underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields where they account for only 3% of STEM workers (Fry, Kennedy, & Funk, …

The Shared Experiences Of Non-Traditional Groups In Academic Stem Disciplines, Kimberly Luthi

Publications

The results of this effort resulted in the identification of factors that can be used as a conceptual framework for establishing institutional conditions and a work environment across higher education institutions that support women’s advancement and retention in academic appointments of leadership related to STEM disciplines and workplace education. The research considers relevant literature related to current institutional strategies and predictors for women’s success and retention in STEM disciplines. Such an exploration addresses challenges of non-traditional groups, specifically gender inequity issues regarding women’s advancement in STEM.

Knowledge-Gap Survey Instrument, Tim Mceldowney, Jessica Deshler, Lynnette Michaluk

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

This is the main research instrument for the NSF funded BCSER-IID: Undergraduate Knowledge of the Mathematics Graduate School Application Process (Knowledge-GAP) project. Award Abstract # 2126018

https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2126018&HistoricalAwards=false

Pedagogical Approaches To Enhancing Student Self-Efficacy And Addressing Gender Inequality In Undergraduate Stem, Gintarė Lübeck

Theses

Previous research has shown that the success and retention of students in STEM university programmes are highly correlated with their self-efficacy beliefs, and women and gender minority students in STEM have been consistently found to possess lower self-efficacy than men. Since specific teaching and learning practices are known to contribute to increased self-efficacy and help diversify STEM education, this study sought to identify which pedagogical approaches are effective in creating a more equitable learning environment in introductory STEM classes by positively contributing to students’ self-efficacy. This study employed methodological triangulation and synthesised findings from self-efficacy questionnaires, classroom observations, and a …

Hook, Line, And Sinker: How To Build Dei In Stem Focused Institutional Repositories By Putting Student Research First, Anne Marie Casey, Debra Rodensky

Publications

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) Scholarly Commons is an institutional repository on the bepress Digital Commons platform that highlights the intellectual output of the university’s faculty, staff, and students. Established in May 2013, Scholarly Commons has grown to include faculty, student, and staff research, instructional materials, journals, magazines, conferences, and research data. By August 2022, the collections consisted of more than 34,600 works downloaded nearly 4.9 million times. An important part of this collection is the research submitted by undergraduate students, which offers a variety of diverse voices.

The Impact Of Pltl In Four Introductory Engineering Courses: Improving Access And Opportunity For Students Underrepresented In Stem Disciplines, Kimberly Luthi, Mohua Kar, Lisa Macon

Publications

The performance assessment was a major component of the overall National Science Foundation-funded research project, Engagement in Engineering Pathways. The study examined underrepresented and female students’ abilities to translate cognitive knowledge into demonstrable performance-based proficiencies through engagement in Peer-Led Team Learning (PLTL) labs in post-secondary, undergraduate introductory engineering courses. Evidence from the study comes from 518 students enrolled in four engineering courses and PLTL labs. The research protocols, implementation process, and assessment of academic achievement of project participants are discussed. Data are analyzed across student demographics to identify performance indicators within PLTL activities that influenced students’ commitment and retention in …

Women’S Perceptions Of Problem-Solving In A Virtual Learning Environment, Kimberly Luthi, Ernie Friend, Angelique Tucker-Blackmon

Publications

Virtual learning opportunities in computing and information technology courses are designed to facilitate the development of critical thinking skills, positive learning outcomes and increased problem-solving abilities. However, before engaging students in activities to increase their problem-solving skills, researchers need to understand the influence of virtual courses on students’ problem-solving perceptions since perceptions influence performance. This study is an analysis of women’s perceptions of their problem solving confidence, style and personal control before and after their participation in online courses within the Network Enterprise Administration Certificate program that was embedded as a specialized track leading towards the Networking Systems Technology Associate …

Advancement Experiences Of Women In Academic Senior Leadership Positions In Stem Disciplines: A Delphi Analysis, Kimberly Luthi, Mickey Kosloski

Publications

This article explores structural support systems that lead to women's advancement and hindrance factors that either catalyze or delay women's career acceleration in higher education, specifically within STEM-related and workforce education disciplines. Through a consensus building approach, a four-round Delphi analysis explored the experiences and perceptions of 17 panelists who currently or formerly served in a senior-ranked position within a higher education setting at five institutions in the Southeast United States. The panel included women who met the eligibility criteria as subject matter experts and held positions as deans in a STEM discipline, principal investigators over federally funded STEM and …

Career Advancement Of Women In Engineering Disciplines At Two-Year Degree Institutions: Documenting Challenges And Potential Solutions To Raise Inclusivity, Kimberly Luthi

Publications

Institutions of higher education that offer two-year degrees have student-centered missions with support structures to address the unique needs of a diverse student body [14]. Many two-year degree institution types are open access and have institutional priorities focused on increasing diversity and inclusive practices among both the students and faculty [1]. Although the inclusion of women traditionally underrepresented in STEM disciplines in higher education settings is a national concern, the advancement of women at institutions that offer support networks and institutional practices such as two-year degree institutions contribute to women’s advancement and diversity in the talent pipeline. This research study …

Equity In Engineering Education: The Experiences Of Non-Traditional Students In Introductory Engineering Courses With Peer Learning Support, Kimberly T. Luthi, Mohua Kar

Publications

This paper seeks to examine one aspect of the pilot research study entitled, “Engagement in Engineering Pathways: An Initiative to Retain Non-Traditional Students in Engineering” funded by the National Science Foundation Improving Undergraduate STEM Education grant program (Award No. 1712008). This three-year study examines the effect of the use of Peer-Led Team Learning (PLTL) on students’ academic performance, STEM experiences, and persistence in engineering programs [2]. The data collected is from May 2018- May 2020. The present study population is undergraduate engineering students at a multi-campus, federally designated Hispanic-serving, public, two-year college in the southeastern U.S. This paper will specifically …

Gender Perceptions And Female Students' Academic Engagement And Success In Stem Fields, Rheanna Morgan

School of Social Work Undergraduate Honors Theses

Despite an increase of females in higher education and the workforce, fields such as science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) continue to be male-dominated. One explanation for this trend is the lack of gender representation and counterstereotypical role models to encourage female engagement in these fields at the university level. Previous research has looked at instructor gender, classroom gender composition, and involvement in extracurricular activities as possible factors influencing students' engagement and success in the classroom. However, few studies have investigated how gender perceptions influence female students in STEM fields. This study uses self-report data from a voluntary survey to …

Mathematics Is Art: The Impact Of A Non-Traditional Metaphor On Teacher Mindset And Instructional Practices In Mathematics, Karise Mace

Education Doctorate Dissertations

Many teachers hold the belief that one is either a “math person” or not, which impacts their mathematical mindset and instructional practices, and in turn impacts their students’ mindsets and learning experiences. Fostering the development of a mathematical mindset in teachers is critical to dispelling the “math person” myth. As we are metaphorical in nature (Lakoff & Johnson, 1980), the metaphors that we use to conceptualize mathematics are born out of and impact our experiences in its study and provide a means for eliminating this myth. In this mixed-methods study I sought to understand the metaphors that in-service elementary teachers …

“A Tale Of Two Classrooms”: Designing Culturally-Relevant Hip Hop Curriculum To Support Stem Identity Of Underrepresented Students, Jessica Mcclain, Rebecca Colina Neri Ph.D

Northwest Journal of Teacher Education

This article explores how educators can contribute to the development of STEM identity in historically marginalized groups by using critical frameworks and pedagogies like Funds of Knowledge and Critical Hip-Hop Pedagogy as a curricular tool to counter traditional teaching practices. The authors amplify the importance of cultural spaces that support educators in examining aspects of power, access, and cultural awareness in STEM classrooms to increase student participation and acquisition of STEM knowledge. This article provides a guided activity named “A tale of two citiez” as an example of how educators can act towards (re)conceptualizing and (re)imagining STEM classrooms.

How Female Stem Undergraduate Students Form Their Science Identity, Todd Martin Medovich

All Theses And Dissertations

This qualitative case study describes how female science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) students choose their undergraduate major, the obstacles they faced when making that choice, and how they overcome gender-based obstacles. These descriptions illuminate the manner in which they form their science identity.

There is a gender gap in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines (Viadero, 2009). This has been attributed to both biological and sociocultural causes. The biological basis for this disparity includes evidence of physiological differences between females and males, as well as the microaggressions and sexual harassment stemming from these differences (Bottia et al., 2015). …

Gender Differences In High School Students’ Perceptions Of Math And Science Identity, Self-Efficacy, And Utility, Lauren Mauel

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This quantitative dissertation examined the differences between young men and women’s perceptions of mathematics and science identity, self-efficacy, and utility. There are gender norms and stereotypes that impact identity, self-efficacy, and perceived utility of mathematics and science. The secondary data analyzed were drawn from the follow-up High School Longitudinal Survey (HSLS:09). The survey was administered to 20,594 11th-grade students enrolled at 904 eligible public, charter, and private schools from all states and the District of Columbia. The study investigated whether there are gender-based statistically significant (p < 0.05) differences in 11th grade students’ perceptions of mathematics and science identity, mathematics and science self-efficacy, and mathematics and science utility. The results of the study suggest that there are statistically significant differences between the genders in mathematics identity, science identity, mathematics self-efficacy, and science self-efficacy, but not statistically significant differences in mathematics utility and science utility. Continued research could prove useful to continue analyzing the gender gaps present.

Peer Learning In Introductory Engineering, Kimberly Luthi, Mohua Kar, Lisa Macon

Publications

Observed characteristics of non-traditional student populations: low retention, low grades, low participation, low confidence in mathematical and problem-solving abilities. Research question: Does participation in peer-led team-learning (PLTL) activities support underrepresented and female students’ performance in introductory engineering courses and retention in engineering pathways?

Women Students Learning A Stem Subject: An Analysis Of Note-Taking Practices In A Civil Engineering Course And The Association With Self-Efficacy, Cognitive Engagement, Test Anxiety, And Course Achievement, Monica Palomo, Pauline Muljana

STEMPS Faculty Publications

Women students are underrepresented in STEM education. The completion rate of women students in an engineering program are known to be low. Alongside this, the COVID-19 pandemic still occurs, threatening people’s health, leading to anxiety and depression, and influencing students’ learning. Numerous studies have displayed a negative association between self-efficacy and test anxiety, especially in quantitative subjects. All together may distract students from focusing on their cognitive goals. In turn, students may not be able to concentrate, disrupting their cognitive engagement to grasp knowledge. The present case study is aimed to investigate the note-taking strategies used in a fully-synchronous Civil …

Peer Learning In Introductory Engineering, Kimberly Luthi, Mohua Kar, Lisa Macon

Publications

Observed characteristics of non-traditional student populations: low retention, low grades, low participation, low confidence in mathematical and problem-solving abilities. Research question: Does participation in peer-led team-learning (PLTL) activities support underrepresented and female students’ performance in introductory engineering courses and retention in engineering pathways?

Women In Science, Technology, Engineering, And Math Professional Night For Youths, Emily N. Henry

Journal of Extension

Extracurricular science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) activities are an engaging way to introduce historically-minoritized youths to STEM. In this article, I describe one such event, a Women in STEM Professional Night, designed to connect eighth-grade girls with women in STEM careers. This interactive event provides a personalized connection to STEM, helps combat gendered stereotypes, and builds girls’ self-identification with STEM. Best practices include a carefully structured event, inviting a diverse group of women STEM professionals, and intentional preparation of all participants to set expectations. These insights serve as a guide for Extension professionals interested in creating a similar event.

Real-Life Conundrums In The Struggle For Institutional Transformation, Julia Mcquillan, Nestor Hernandez

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

Intersecting systems of inequality (i.e., gender and race/ethnicity) are remarkably resistant to change. Many universities, however, seek National Science Foundation Institutional Transformation awards to change processes, procedures, and cultures to make science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) departments more inclusive. In this article we describe a case study with observations for eight years of before (2000–2007), five during (2008–2013), and seven after (2014–2020) intensive efforts to increase women through reducing barriers and increasing access to women. Finally, we reflect on flawed assumptions built into the proposal, the slow and uneven change in the proportion of women over time, the strengths …

Girls In Stem Day: From Space To Dna, An Analysis Of Middle School Girls' Interests In Stem Fields, Emily Carter

Undergraduate Research Symposium Podium Presentations

Research specifically targeted at youth participation in STEM highlights the importance of community engagements outside of school to bolster interest in STEM. We ask the research questions: (1) How do girls who engage with a day-long STEM event at UNLV perceive hands-on science activities? (2) How did girls’ enjoyment of science activities shift their interest in science topics? The purpose of this study is to identify factors that influence middle school girls’ interests in STEM fields through a day-long STEM event. This research was conducted at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) in 2020 called Girls in STEM Day …

Peer Learning In Introductory Engineering, Kimberly Luthi, Mohua Kar, Lisa Macon

Publications

Our research aim was to understand if PLTL and engagement in problem-based learning activities increase commitment to engineering pathways and academic success. We used both qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis to answer our research questions and give recommendations. The findings show that while there is an overall improvement in grades and commitment to engineering pathways for those involved in PLTL activities, there is still a concern with integration and scalability of PLTL in engineering education.

Mentoring Prospective Engineering Students Through The After School Program "Girls In Engineering" Focused On Building An Underwater Remotely Operated Vehicle, Vukica M. Jovanović, Deborah Marshall, Jeff Warren Larson Jr., Abdul Rahman Badawi, Neil R. Stclair, Otilia Popescu, Murat Kuzlu, Petros J. Katsioloudis, Linda Vahala, Michael Anthony Crespo

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

A number of studies by engineering education researchers have pointed out that all-female teams, rather than mixed teams, result in better forms of participation and interaction in engineering related after-school programs and clubs. In particular, for after-school programs or clubs that form in response to a STEM competition, all-female teams have better chances of developing. One such competition, which will be discussed in this paper, is a regional Marine Advanced Technology Education (MATE) competition in which students from Blind_Review High School have been participating for many years.For each year’s competition, an all-female team of students enrolled in the Career and …