27 July 2015

How can we entice girls into STEM Education?

Sylvia HicksHead of Faculty - Sciencel

St Aidan’s Anglican Girls’ School

Kathy HarrisSchool Support Officer (Teaching and Learning)-STEM Education-

Independent Schools Queensland

ISQ

• 190 schools• 50 Special Assistance Schools• Religious (Christian, Brethren, Lutheran, Uniting, Anglican,

Islamic)• Montessori and Steiner schools• Grammar schools• Support for teaching and learning through projects such as

Teachers as Researchers• Commonwealth Funding - Students First Support Funding

Teachers as Researchers (TaR)

The TAR Learning project provides schools with the opportunity to investigate the possibilities to

enhance, extend and deepen the learning process within their schools. Using an action research

process, teams research, enact and reflect on their investigations to build a strong, impactful and

sustainable approach to STEM education within their contexts.

Teachers as Researchers –Aspiring Women in Science Conference

The conference aims to give students a personal insight into the highlights and unique challenges that women face in STEM careers and provides an opportunity to engage with scientists through open discussion following each presentation.

• Exposure to a range of careers beyond what they see in the media.

• Engineering > incorporated science and mathematics > connections for St. Aidan’s students > reach went beyond local schools

• Mentoring

• Career advice

Australian Council of

Learned Academies for

PMSEIC, 2013

Background to St Aidan’s Anglican Girls School

• St Aidan’s Anglican Girls’ School

• Established 1929

• All girls

• Day school

• Independent school

• 730 students

• Kindergarten to Year 12

At St Aidan’s

o 43 % of students in Years 8, 9 and 10 take elective Science as well as their required Science subject

o 83% of students in the final years of high school take one or more Science subjects

o 40 % of students take two or more Science subjects

o In 2014 36% of graduating students commenced a Science related course at university

Strategy - Aspiring Women in Science Conference

o Offered across our state to girls in any education sector in the last three years of high school

o 2013 – 118 attendees

o 2014 – 200 attendees from 40 different schools

o 2015 - 155 attendees from 35 different schools

o Partnered with University of Queensland for sponsorship & speakers

Aspiring Women in Science Conference

2013 Theme: “Why Science? Why Queensland?” 2014 Theme:

“Girls & the heart of science”2015 Theme:

“Girls changing the face of science”

Organisational Details

o Team of three: Sylvia Hicks, Dr Ela Martin and one Support staff

o Sponsorship: Australian Defence Force Academy and University of Queensland

• Web design

• Lanyards

• Delegate bags

• Speakers

http://www.aspiringscience.com.au/

Publicity

Publicity

stands during

lunch

Robogals - 2015

Engineers without

borders - 2014

UQ Engineering F1

racing team (and

car) - 2013

Feedback from Students

o Survey conducted with registration: o 55 out of 193 students participated (Survey Monkey)

o Survey conducted post conference: o 81 out of 193 students replied (Google docs)

Feedback from Students (cont’d)

What courses were you

considering studying before the

conference?

What courses would you now

consider studying following

the conference?

Feedback from Students (cont’d)

Attending the conference has made it

more likely I will pursue further study in

Science or a related field.

Attending the conference has made me

more confident of my ability to be successful

in a Science course or career.

Feedback from Students (cont’d)

I would like to attend the conference

next year.

I would recommend the conference to other

students interested in Science.

Evaluation of the Teachers as Researcher project:

1. Institutionalising the conference model so that it becomes sustainable

2. Optimise resources

3. Establish collective responsibility between key stakeholders

4. Review the Year level of girls who are invited to attend

An unexpected outcome has been the desire of the guest speakers to remain

involved in the future conferences. The speakers genuinely felt encouraged by the

students and were consequently motivated to continue as mentors for these

students.

Live chat with

St Aidan’s

students

Thank you for listening!