AMS Committee on Education Jessica Ellis Colorado State University http wwwmaaorg cspcc Acknowledgments MAA David Bressoud Michael Pearson Linda Braddy Olga Dixon San Diego State Univ ID: 913324
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Slide1
Gender Disparity in STEM and the Role of CalculusAMS Committee on Education
Jessica EllisColorado State University
http://
www.maa.org/cspcc
Slide2AcknowledgmentsMAADavid Bressoud
Michael PearsonLinda BraddyOlga DixonSan Diego State Univ.Chris RasmussenDov ZazkisKady HansonGina Nuñez University of MichiganVilma MesaNina WhiteHelen Burns
Portland StateSean Larsen
Estrella JohnsonErin GloverSan Francisco StateEric HsuAddie
Schnirel
Arek
GoetzArizona StateMarilyn CarlsonMichael TallmanNSFColorado StateBailey FosdickRebecca Cooper
Slide3Why focus on Calculus?
Intro STEM courses (Calculus I) often to blame
(Seymour & Hewitt, 1997; Thompson et al., 2007)
PCAST: 1 million + Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) graduates needed
STEM Pipeline - Leaking
Slide4Characteristics of Successful Programs in College Calculus
To improve our understanding of the demographics of students who enroll in mainstream calculus,To measure the impact of the various characteristics of calculus classes that are believed to influence student success, To conduct explanatory case studies of exemplary programs
in order to identify why and how these programs succeed,To develop a model that
articulates the factors under which students are likely to succeed in calculus, andTo use the results of these
to
leverage improvements
in
calculus instruction across the United States.
Slide5Phase I:
Six web-based surveys to identify factors that are correlated with success in Calculus IStudent beginning and end of term, and one year laterInstructor beginning and end of termCourse Coordinator
Phase II:
Case studies of
selected calculus programs
Reasonable
response rate
Positive (or neutral) changes in enjoyment,
confidence
and interest in mathematicsPersistence to Calculus IIOther information we were able to obtain
= “success”
Slide6Gender representation in STEMWhat is STEM?
Broad: includes behavioral and social sciencesRestrictive: physical sciences (including math), biological sciences, engineering, and technical majors
Slide7Women in U.S. STEM labor force
Slide8Percent of degrees earned by women
Slide9Why focus on gender?"The worst kind of group for an organization that wants to be innovative and creative is one in which everyone is alike and gets along too well
.” Mannix, E., & Neale, M. A. (2005)
Slide10Why focus on gender?
"The worst kind of group for an organization that wants to be innovative and creative is one in which everyone is alike and gets along too well."
Slide11Slide12Why focus on gender?
Slide13We are losing a disproportionate number of women at every step along the “STEM pipeline”, despite boys and girls indicating similar interests in science and math
Slide14Who is leaving calculus?Asked current Calculus I students:
“Do you intend to take Calculus II?”
Beginning of Calculus I
Yes – STEM intending
No
End of Calculus I
Yes
Persisters
Converter
No
Switchers
Culminater
Slide15End of term survey
Beginning of term survey
There were
2,266 students
for which we had complete data and of these
17.8% were identified as Switchers
.
Logistic mixed effects regression model: we analyzed the association between
Calculus persistence and gender
, controlling for student preparedness, career intentions, instruction, and institution
Slide16Results
+
-
Slide17Results
Slide18Results
Slide19Results
Slide20Slide21Reasons for leaving
End of term survey: “If you do not intend to take Calculus II, check all reasons that apply”Reasons given by 329 Switchers
STEM-Intending
STEM-Interested
Reason for not intending to take Calc. II
Men
(37)
Women
(48)
Men
(86)
Women
(158)
1. I
changed my major
and now do not need to take Calculus II
70%
65%
33%
32%
2. To
do well in Calculus II, I would need to spend more
time and effort
than I can afford
41%
35%
38%
37%
3. My
experience in Calculus I
made me decide not to take Calculus II
32%
38%
42%
45%
4. I
have
too many other courses
I need to complete
27%
25%
50%
50%
5. I
do not believe I understand the ideas
of Calculus I well enough to take Calculus II
14%
35%
20%
32%
Only one reason is statistically different for men and women:
perception of ability
Due to difference in ability or confidence in ability?
Slide22Confidence, not AbilityIn this study, 42% of male switchers and 48% of female switchers got an A or B in Calculus IResearch conclusively states no math ability differences between genders
A meta-analysis of gender differences in mathematics found no differences in ability (Lindberg, Hyde, Petersen, and Linn, 2010 )A study specifically looking at gender differences in Calculus I found that women outperform men
(Islam & Al-Ghassani, 2015)But there are differences in mathematical confidence between genders
(Fennema & Sherman, 1978; Good, Rattan, &
Dweck
, 2012)
Slide23Role of confidence
Slide24Summary & ImplicationsCalculus I gives insight into experiences of women throughout pipeline
More (capable) women leave due to lack of incoming math confidence compared to menSolution strategies(Increase pipeline flow) Involve young women in STEM and build their confidence and interest early on(Decrease pipeline leaks) View intro STEM courses as an opportunity to INCREASE confidence
Slide25Slide26How do we actually fix the problem?Research-based strategies:Personality plays more of a role than gender, and so
interventions focused on developing a growth mindset (be resilient in the face of academic challenges) have been shown to positively affect willingness to engage in difficult material and performance (Alcock, Attridge, Kennya, & Inglis, 2014; Yeager and Dweck, 2012)
Slide27How do we actually fix the problem?Research-based strategies:Inquiry Based Learning (IBL) (a form of active learning) has been shown to support men and women in achieving similar learning gains, and women persist at higher rates compared to women in non-IBL courses (
Kogan & Laursen, 2014; Laursen et al., 2011)These gains may be more important for courses earlier in undergraduate’s math career (Laursen et al., 2011; Watkins & Mazur, 2013)However – using active learning approaches can bring up other equity issues related to participation (Esmonde, 2009)
Slide28How do we actually fix the problem?Research-based strategies: Role models
in Calculus at San Diego State University (Susan Nickerson)New NSF study, Inspiring Women to Thrive in STEM, that is investigating how peer role models can reduce stereotype threat and increase women’s persistence in the calculus sequence“Our results show that peer role models have the intended effect on women highly identified with mathematics increasing both mathematical belonging and mathematical self-efficacy, but have no statistically significant effect on men or women with low mathematical identification.”
Slide29How do we actually fix the problem?Progress through Calculus (PtC) study: Visit universities that support more women and students of color in getting STEM degrees, investigate their calculus sequence
Slide30Discussion QuestionAs a chair, faculty member, or a program director:How have you experienced (or witnessed) issues of inequity in our undergraduate math courses (such as through course enrollment, graduating student populations, etc.)
Knowing these issues exist (regardless if we see/quantify them on a daily basis), what can we do (and what have you tried) to address these issues?Share with neighbors (~10 min), and then share out to group (~5 min)
Slide31Thank you! For more info and/or references:
ellis@math.colostate.edu or www.maa.org/cspcc
Slide32Slide33Why focus on gender?
Slide34Why focus on gender?
Slide35Why focus on gender?
Slide36Why focus on gender?