Gender and STEM Subject Choice

Abstract

Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics’ (STEM) knowledge and skills are of increasing importance to the Scottish (and UK) economy in terms of economic growth and better-paid employment opportunities. Shortages of suitably qualified individuals mean that policymakers are concerned to increase the study of STEM subjects at both tertiary and secondary education levels, as the latter feeds the former. Persistent, gendered patterns of STEM subject choice exist at all school qualification levels with, for instance, Biology more likely to be studied by females and Physics by males. These differences have been attributed to social conditioning and gender-biased environments rather than any innate, biological differences with little known about the latter. This paper used Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) administrative data for 2002-2009, linked to the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD), to explore whether biological factors may play a part in STEM subject choice in Scottish state secondary schools. Specifically, it examined the impact that potential exposure to increased levels of testosterone, in-utero, for female twins with male co-twins (the Twin Testosterone Transfer hypothesis) may have on their STEM subject choices. Twins and a control group of closely spaced sibling pairs were identified from SQA administrative data. Logistic regression was employed to examine Maths, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, general Science and Computing subject choices. No evidence of any testosterone effect was found despite clear patterns of gender segregation. The impact of socio-economic background was stark. The odds of individuals from more disadvantaged backgrounds taking named sciences fell as deprivation levels rose. Age-14 educational choices and general age-16 attainment were seen to be critical for studying STEM subjects at Higher, the crucial qualifications for university entry, indicating that policy interventions to increase uptake need to begin well before this to redress social inclusion and gender imbalance issues.

Does Class Size Matter on Learning Output? A Case in Science and Mathematics Subjects in Public Secondary Schools in Siaya County, Kenya

“…These study findings also concurred with Wolfe (2019) and Gasteen (2019) which found that gender is no longer a hindrance to subject selection and girls have continued to improve in their performance in the STEM subjects as seen in the case of the national schools and extra county schools. However, Elena et al ( 2019) found that maths, physics followed by chemistry were perceived as male domains which depicts a contrary finding with the current study's stance that both boys and girls schools did not record a significant difference in performance in mathematics and science subjects.…”

“…These differences are noted to be attributed to the social conditioning and gender-based environments rather than innate biological differences. Despite subject selection being more evidently following gender pattern, more girls currently have penetrated the initially perceived male dominated subjects and the class sizes are large (Wolfe, 2019;Gasteen, 2019). The study did not establish the effect of the class sizes on learner scores.…”

“…A study by Gasteen's (2019) conducted in the United Kingdom indicate that as a result of the government trying to promote the study of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects, due to a shortage of qualified individuals to pursue the subjects at higher levels which is a consequence emanating from skewed secondary subject educational choices which feed tertiary institutions, girls and boys have continued to evidently make different choices. For instance, Biology is more likely to be studied by females while Physics by males.…”