Submitted by Michael Frankfort @mfrank_76
Click HERE for link to the original article.
The article “Forging Confident New Pathways for Girls in STEAM” by Tina Surdivall discusses the author’s experiences as a teacher-librarian in the Toronto District School Board, focusing on engaging girls in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) through projects involving coding and robotics. Surdivall highlights the joy students experience when solving problems and inventing solutions.
The article identifies that gender gaps in STEAM fields start young and are mostly attitudinal, increasing with age. Strategies to close this gap include promoting a growth mindset, disrupting bias, and making STEAM subjects hands-on and connected to real-world issues. Role models like aerospace engineer Farah Alibay and physicist Jessica Wade are crucial in showing diverse representation in STEAM fields.
Surdivall emphasizes the importance of guest speakers and hands-on projects to inspire and engage students. She also discusses the benefits of the engineering and design process and block coding in fostering a growth mindset. Fun, student-driven projects, such as those using Makey Makeys, help make STEAM learning engaging and relevant.