U.S. Gets Poor Grades in Nurturing STEM Diversity 3/25/10

Reprinted from Edweek:
By Erik W. Robelen

The nation’s K-12 education system gets an average grade of D for the job it does “engaging and nurturing” minorities to pursue careers in the STEM fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, and a D-plus for such performance with girls, based on results released today from a survey of female and minority chemists and chemical engineers.

Those polled also believe science teachers play a larger role than parents and others in inspiring an interest in science, with 70 percent saying teachers have the most influence at the elementary level, and nearly 90 percent saying teachers have the most influence at the high school level.

Meanwhile, another report out today, developed with support from the National Science Foundation, pulls together “a large and diverse body” of existing research providing evidence that social and environmental factors contribute to the “underrepresentation” of women in science and engineering.

That study, from the Washington-based American Association of University Women, offers a set of recommendations for educators, parents, and others, including a call to “spread the word about girls’ and women’s achievements in math and science” to combat negative stereotypes; teach girls that intellectual skills are “acquired,” and not simply the product of “innate talent”; and explain to girls that buying into negative stereotypes can diminish academic achievement. It also says that in high school, girls should be encouraged to take classes in calculus, physics, chemistry, computer science, and engineering when available.

The two new reports come amid strong and growing interest in promoting improved STEM education and stronger interest among young people in the subjects. President Barack Obama has joined in that push. (“Obama Unveils Projects to Bolster STEM Teaching,” Jan. 20, 2010.)

Earlier this month, a variety of leading business and industry groups announced the formation of a new national coalition on STEM education.

The top three causes identified in the survey of chemists and chemical engineers to explain the underrepresentation of women and minorities in the STEM fields were a lack of adequate science and math education programs in “poorer” school districts; persistent stereotypes that suggest STEM subjects aren’t for girls or minorities; and financial issues related to the cost of education.

“If we want to achieve true diversity in America’s STEM workforce, we must first understand the root causes of underrepresentation and the ongoing challenges these groups face,” Greg Babe, the president and chief executive officer of the Bayer Corp., which sponsored the survey, said in a press release. “We want to knock down these barriers.”