It’s bad enough without exaggerating
This UK survey report is being a bit loose with the details, in a situation where that’s not even needed
The survey of more than 4,000 girls, young women, parents and teachers, demonstrates clearly that there is a perception that STEM subjects and careers are better suited to male personalities, hobbies and brains. Half (51 percent) of the teachers and 43 percent of the parents surveyed believe this perception helps explain the low uptake of STEM subjects by girls. [emphasis added]
Those aren’t the same thing at all. I believe this perception helps explain the low uptake of STEM subjects by girls. Michelle ‘Nanogirl’ Dickinson believes this perception helps explain the low uptake of STEM subjects by girls. It’s worrying that nearly more than half of UK teachers don’t believe this perception helps explain the low uptake of STEM subjects by girls.
On the other hand, this is depressing and actually does seem to be what the survey said:
Nearly half (47 percent) of the young girls surveyed said they believe such subjects are a better match for boys.
as does this
It would fit with NZ experience if a lot of boys felt the same about the difficulty of science and maths, but that wouldn’t actually make it any better.
Thomas Lumley (@tslumley) is Professor of Biostatistics at the University of Auckland. His research interests include semiparametric models, survey sampling, statistical computing, foundations of statistics, and whatever methodological problems his medical collaborators come up with. He also blogs at Biased and Inefficient See all posts by Thomas Lumley »
I think a stem career is better suited to a male’s life course. Establishing a career in stem, especially research stem, often ends up being a trade-off with establishing a family for women. Not so much for men.
9 years ago
Of course, the other thing, is that stem jobs (especially straight out of a degree) don’t pay that well and are pretty insecure (as news today shows).
Comp sci is about the only exception.
9 years ago