There is a lot of noise about getting girls into STEM.
I see lots of article about it and countless posts on social media.
So if there is such a desire to make it happen, why are we failing?
I went to study computer science. Yep. I was one of those odd girls that studied technology in university. I could count the number of girls that studied with me on one hand. Throughout my years in uni, I was surrounded by boys.
Then, I went on to start a career in the Hi-Tech industry. Again, I was the odd one out. Always surrounded by plenty of men. It was, and still is, a men’s world.
So believe me when I say I want to see more girls in STEM. Actually, it is much more than that as we NEED to have more girls in STEM. And I am not talking here about diversity and equality. I am talking here about the contribution women bring to any profession. It is about improving these industries by having more women working there.
So why there are not many girls in science?
It is because of the way we raise our girls. It is about their upbringing. The messages we provide them.
It is about the image we place in their minds about their capabilities and place in our society.
Many girls grow up today thinking that math and technology are not for them. That it is something that boys should do as they are better at it.
Girls have a damaging image about their capabilities to solve challenging problems. They have a false belief about their ability to learn STEM.
It is all about perception.
And once we change this perception, once we provide these girls with the confidence they need to tackle any challenge, we will see more girls in STEM.
And I know exactly how we can do that.
It is very simple, and it is something we can do at each and every school across the globe.
Once we adopt Design Thinking as the new way of teaching and learning, these girls will become great problem solvers and gain the confidence they need to engage with science and technology in a deep and meaningful way.
I have seen this happens in my own eyes. I have heard from teachers I have worked with about the transformation that happened with their students once they adopted Design Thinking as the new way of learning.
And now, there are also many research papers to support what I have seen on the ground.
For example, research done by Concordia University on using Design Thinking in Mathematics concluded that not only using Design Thinking improves overall results and academic achievements in mathematics, but that learning in this manner provides children with the confidence in their capabilities to tackle any mathematical problem.
Another research by Hacettepe also concluded that Design Thinking promotes a higher level of thinking and therefore drives better achievements in math. This research recommends using Design Thinking to improve mathematic education.
And another research performed by North Carolina university concluded that using Design Thinking as the way of learning from a young age leads to greater success at school and later on, in the children’s professional lives.
So we desire to get more girls into STEM, and we have a proven way to do so.
The only remaining question now is will you take the required step to make it happen?
If you want to make it happen, Glittering Minds have the program you need to help your school adopt Design Thinking as the new way of learning.
Get in touch now to start a conversation on what it means to your school.
#STEM #school #designthinking #girlsintech #STEAM #education #innovationineducation #thefutureofeducation
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