Gender Friendly Learning Spaces

1. Gender Friendly Learning Spaces Catherine Hill, Ph.D. Vice President for Research October 24, 2016

2. What is a “gender friendly”learning space?

3. The Problem

4. Women make up 26% of the computing workforce The Problem

5. Women make up 12% of the engineering workforce The Problem

6. African American and Hispanic women particularly underrepresented

9. Are these differences based on biology ? Is there a “girl brain” and a “boy brain”?

10. Sex beyond the genitalia: The human brain mosaic Daphna Joela, et. alProc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2015 Dec 15;112(50):15468-73. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1509654112. Epub 2015 Nov 30 Our results demonstrate that regardless of the cause of observed sex/gender differences in brain and behavior (nature or nurture), human brains cannot be categorized into two distinct classes: male brain/female brain.

11. 1. Girls and boys are equally “good” at math. SOURCE: Nord, C., Roey, S., Perkins, R., Lyons, M., Lemanski, N., Brown, J., and Schuknecht, J. (2011). The Nation’s Report Card: America’s High School Graduates (NCES 2011-462). U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.

12. 2. Neither girls nor boys seem to understand that. Girls assess themselves lower and hold themselves to a higher standard when assessing their abilities in “male” fields like science and math.

13. 3. Studies that claim distinct learning needs for boys and girls are flawed.

14. 4. Sex-segregated occupations are not inevitable.

15. Recap • There is a significant gender imbalance in some STEM fields. • There is a significant gender imbalance in most caretaking and caretaking careers. • Boys and girls are equally “good” at math. • Neither boys nor girls seem to understand that. • Studies that claim distinct learning needs for boys and girls are flawed. • Sex-segregated occupations are not inevitable.

16. The Problem Many of our students are being held back by mistaken and misunderstood notions about gender.

17. The Other Problem

18. Problem(s) Research shows … • There is no biological explanation for the sex segregation in academic and professional fields. • Gender and sexual harassment is rampant and has a powerful impact on learning

19. How do we create a “gender friendly” learning space?

20. CREATING A GENDER-FRIENLDY LEARNING SPACE 1. Reject stereotyping

21. Stereotypes and Bias • A stereotype is a cognitive “shortcut” that categorizes people on the basis of characteristics such as gender, race, or age. • A bias is a semi-permanent belief based on repeated exposure to stereotypes. • People are less likely to openly admit to negative stereotypes and biases today than in the past.

22. Implicit Bias • Beliefs, attitudes, or biases may happen “beneath the surface.” • Most people possess subtle or even unconscious beliefs about gender.

23. Role Models Matter

24. BOYS AND GIRLS PLAYING TOGETHER

25. CREATING A GENDER-FRIENLDY LEARNING SPACE 1. Reject stereotyping • Challenge bias of all kinds • Provide counter-stereotypes • Encourage girls and boys to play and work together

26. CREATING A GENDER-FRIENLDY LEARNING SPACE 1. Reject stereotyping 2. Promote a growth mindset

28. Remind your students that intellectual skills can be acquired. Embrace the struggle. GROWTH MINDSET

29. CREATING A GENDER-FRIENLDY LEARNING SPACE 2. Promote a growth mindset • Teach spatial skills along with everything else • Manage math anxiety and push to high levels

30. Spatial Skills are not innate

31. GROWTH MINDSET • Play with building toys • Drawing to scale • Tinkering • Don’t pass down your own math anxiety

32. GROWTH MINDSET Promote your own growth mindset by expanding your own understanding of gender.

33. GROWTH MINDSET Human Right Campaign ✔ Avoid Using Gender to Divide and Address Students ✔ Prepare for Teachable Moments ✔ Allow Students to Identify Their Gender (or Not) ✔ Develop a Gender Expansive Environment www.welcomingschools.org

34. CREATING A GENDER-FRIENLDY LEARNING SPACE 1. Reject stereotyping 2. Promote a growth mindset 3. Do not tolerate any sex/gender shaming or harassment

37. LEFT OVER

38. AAUW science camps and events for girls

39. Other Ideas not incorporated in presentation yet For STEM Make it relevant Professor Benjamin Heddy of the University of Oklahoma recently wrote, “The more I study this area, the more I’m seeing that perceived personal relevance can have a dramatic effect on academic interest and achievement in STEM.” In a 2011 study, Maltese & Taidemonstrated that the majority of students who pursue STEM degrees make their decision during high school. Don’t wait till college Require Coding: Make a certain achievement level in coding a requirement in schools. Not long ago people questioned, and some still question, why students should learn a foreign language. The reason has become evident. While it should not preclude teaching other languages (as recently seen in Florida), coding is arguably the most important tools to learn today. In schools with limited resources, there would need to be additional resources to ensure this could take place. Gamification is a particularly effective means of engagement. Build on the learnings of organizations like Code Academy and companies like Globaloria to create basic curricula for K-3, 4-8, and 9+. Globaloria, for example, helps train educators to teach off of the platform in real-time. Teach Coding