8967 Views (as of 05/2023)
  1. Merle Froschl
  2. https://www.fhi360.org/experts/merle-froschl
  3. Director, Educational Equity
  4. Presenter’s NSFRESOURCECENTERS
  5. Family Health International (FHI 360)
  1. Maryann Stimmer
  2. Senior Technical Advisor
  3. Presenter’s NSFRESOURCECENTERS
  4. Family Health International (FHI 360)

A Capacity Building Project to Advance Research on Girls' Math Identity: Impr...

NSF Awards: 1348524

2018 (see original presentation & discussion)

Grades 6-8

This video focuses on the messages girls receive.From the toys they play with, the TV shows they watch and the attitudes of their parents, teachers and peers, the message is that math is not for them. From an early age, girls are taught that math success is about an innate ability that they lack and that being feminine and being good at math are mutually exclusive. As a result, girls do not develop a positive math identity — the belief that you can do math and the belief that you belong—an identity that research tells us is key to their interest, participation and persistence in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education and careers. Without a solid background in math, girls will not develop the critical STEM skills that will be required for 60 percent of the new jobs that will become available in the 21st century.

This video, based on Furthering Girls’ Math Identity, a capacity building project to advance research and improve STEM learning and participation, explores  two key concepts: the importance of girls’ math identity to their participation and persistence in STEM; and the power of a Networked Improvement Community (NIC) to accelerate learning about how to improve girls’ math identity.

This video has had approximately 1,011 visits by 744 visitors from 197 unique locations. It has been played 451 times as of 05/2023.
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Discussion from the 2018 STEM for All Video Showcase (26 posts)
  • Icon for: Merle Froschl

    Merle Froschl

    Lead Presenter
    Director, Educational Equity
    May 13, 2018 | 06:26 p.m.

    Welcome! And thank you for visiting our video focusing on the importance of girls’ math identity to their success in STEM. Our project’s online community will continue to connect practitioners and researchers taking action to improve middle-school girls’ math identity as a way to broaden participation in STEM. What can you and others do to help girls believe they belong in math?

  • Icon for: Nadine Bonda

    Nadine Bonda

    Facilitator
    Assistant Professor
    May 14, 2018 | 11:42 p.m.

    What an uplifting and important message you are giving.  This seems like such a simple message but we know it is also complex. What is your plan for disseminating this message?  What are the obstacles, if any, that you are finding you have to overcome in order to get practitioners to be more encouraging to girls about STEM?

     

     
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    Discussion is closed. Upvoting is no longer available

    Vicki Oleson
  • Icon for: Merle Froschl

    Merle Froschl

    Lead Presenter
    Director, Educational Equity
    May 15, 2018 | 03:40 p.m.

    Thanks for your thoughtful comment. A major dissemination tool is our website (http://www.girlsmathidentity.org) and our Networked Improvement Community (NIC) of researchers and practitioners (which can be accessed from our website). In addition, we frequently present at major conferences such as NCTM & NSTA. We find that practitioners, once aware of the issue, are more than open to learning strategies that can foster a positive math identity in girls. Strategies such as making literacy connections, providing information about role models and careers, and giving girls the opportunity to be the "experts" in presenting work to others. 

     
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    Discussion is closed. Upvoting is no longer available

    Vicki Oleson
  • Icon for: Maryann Stimmer

    Maryann Stimmer

    Co-Presenter
    Senior Technical Advisor
    May 15, 2018 | 10:13 a.m.

    It is exciting to have this opportunity to share access the to the Furthering Girls Math Identity Networked Improvement Community.  Please take a moment to join at http://www.girlsmathidentity.org/nic

  • Icon for: Karen Economopoulos

    Karen Economopoulos

    Facilitator
    Co-Director, Investigations Center for Curriculum and Professional Development
    May 15, 2018 | 08:24 p.m.

    Thank you for this important work. Could you describe some of the ways in which you work with teachers in order to raise their awareness of (and also change their practice) the ways in which they may be unconsciously impacting negative messages about girls and STEM? Also, how do you work with teachers to change practice?

  • Icon for: Maryann Stimmer

    Maryann Stimmer

    Co-Presenter
    Senior Technical Advisor
    May 16, 2018 | 02:18 p.m.

    Good educator PD is essential (In the highest performing countries, educator PD is well supported!).  PD is not just content based but creates an awareness and values equity-based strategies.  The training is frequently curriculum based but most importantly models what good pedagogy looks like.   

  • Icon for: Nancy McGowan

    Nancy McGowan

    Facilitator
    Math Instructional Coach
    May 16, 2018 | 12:52 a.m.

    I have joined your Google community and am so thrilled with the work you have outlined in your video.  My only question is, are you broadening your scope to include our girls in elementary school as well?

  • Icon for: Merle Froschl

    Merle Froschl

    Lead Presenter
    Director, Educational Equity
    May 16, 2018 | 11:04 a.m.

    Welcome to the Girls' Math Identity Community! While our main focus is on girls in grades 4-8, the strategies apply to elementary grades as well, and you will find  relevant information and resources on our website. FYI, here's a link to information about another of our programs, Playtime is Science, that focuses specifically on grades PreK -3:  https://www.fhi360.org/resource/playtime-science

     

     

  • Phyllis Lerner

    Higher Ed Faculty
    May 16, 2018 | 01:41 p.m.

    Merle, In your opening sentence alone, you CAPTURE so much...The "belief that you can do math and the belief that you belong." Having observed classes and instruction for decades, I see the unconscious, well-intended forms of (disabling) bias routinely. Thanks for calling it out-again.

  • Icon for: Merle Froschl

    Merle Froschl

    Lead Presenter
    Director, Educational Equity
    May 16, 2018 | 02:07 p.m.

    Phyllis, thanks for the positive feedback. It's true that there is so much unconscious bias in well-intended comments. For example, an adult trying to assure a girl by saying, "That's  OK, I wasn't any good at math either."

  • Icon for: Katey Walton

    Katey Walton

    Graduate Student
    May 17, 2018 | 04:37 p.m.

    I found your message to be very empowering!  I am a high school mathematics teacher, and I often have female students who lack confidence.  They are awesome girls with such potential, but their lack of confidence often gets in their way.  I try my best to encourage these girls and instill confidence in them throughout the school year.  I notice that a lot of your materials focus on middle school aged girls.  Is there a particular reason you focus on this age group?  Do you still think that it is possible to change a girls math identity once she is a junior in high school?  

  • Icon for: Merle Froschl

    Merle Froschl

    Lead Presenter
    Director, Educational Equity
    May 17, 2018 | 05:18 p.m.

    Katey, thanks for your thoughtful comment and for your efforts to instill confidence in your students. We focused on middle-school girls because that is a critical time of transition -- from elementary to middle school and from middle school to high school. However, I believe that it is never too late to make change, and I am fully confident that you are doing just that. All of our strategies -- providing role models and career choices and giving girls the opportunity to be "experts" -- certainly would work in high school as well. Good luck.

  • Ed Sabol

    May 18, 2018 | 08:57 a.m.

    Great video Merle... as you know I have a Goddaughter who has done extremely well for herself in typically male-dominated areas such as engineering, technology and business development and funding.  I truly believe she has been so successful because of reinforcement during her early years from her dad (and I hope a little from me).  You're like the Energizer Bunny - you keep going and going and going... Bravo!

  • Icon for: Merle Froschl

    Merle Froschl

    Lead Presenter
    Director, Educational Equity
    May 18, 2018 | 09:27 a.m.

    Thank you, Ed. Your Goddaughter has done great work. Research has shown that support from a father to his daughter is one of the best indicators of whether a girl will consider STEM as a career. (I'm sure Godfather counts big as well!).

  • Icon for: Dale McCreedy

    Dale McCreedy

    Vice President of Audience & Community Engagement
    May 18, 2018 | 10:10 a.m.

    Merle and Maryann - Great video and discussion! I was so honored to be a part of the related conference, and am excited to see where this work goes next - Thanks also for the reminder of Playtime is Science - now that I am at a children's museum, i need to revisit this!

  • Icon for: Merle Froschl

    Merle Froschl

    Lead Presenter
    Director, Educational Equity
    May 18, 2018 | 10:45 a.m.

    Thank you, Dale. How great to hear from you. I hope we can find some way to continue to work with you at the children's museum. Yes, Playtime is Science would be a natural fit, and it includes wonderful suggestions for family outreach and involvement as well.

  • Icon for: Kris Morrissey

    Kris Morrissey

    Higher Ed Faculty
    May 18, 2018 | 11:07 a.m.

    Great topic. I loved math as a student but way back then (!!!), I never saw a career path in pursuing that topic. Best of luck continuing this important work!

  • Icon for: Merle Froschl

    Merle Froschl

    Lead Presenter
    Director, Educational Equity
    May 18, 2018 | 11:20 a.m.

    Thanks, Kris. Hopefully students are now more likely to understand all the possible career paths that math offers. I'm sure you are a great mentor!

  • Aubree Lockard

    Graduate Student
    May 18, 2018 | 03:45 p.m.

    This video has such a strong message that every girl needs to hear.  I am a second year sixth grade math teacher and I have seen first hand exactly how these young individuals feel about math.  I like how you mentioned about moving to an inquiry base aproach and not functional mathematics.  What ways as a teacher could this be done and how do you approach this way with young girls who already are reluctant?  I also teach in an inner city school.  Have you found anything similar or different about the approach in the way mathematics should be taught in the various school settings?

  • Icon for: Merle Froschl

    Merle Froschl

    Lead Presenter
    Director, Educational Equity
    May 19, 2018 | 11:19 a.m.

    Aubree, thanks for your comment and for your very good questions. Inquiry-based learning is a form of active learning that starts by posing questions, problems or scenarios—rather than simply presenting established facts or portraying a smooth path to the answers. It fosters problem-solving, creativity and critical-thinking skills. If you haven't already, I suggest you visit https://www.youcubed.org which has a wealth of ideas for exciting inquiry-based classroom activities grades K-8, that would work in any school setting. You also might look at our After-School Math PLUS program https://www.fhi360.org/resource/after-school-ma..., which uses easy-to-find, culturally familiar materials to teach real-world, inquiry-based math grades 3-8.

  • Aubree Lockard

    Graduate Student
    May 19, 2018 | 03:46 p.m.

    Thank you, I will take a look at these two resources!

  • Icon for: Allison Carberry

    Allison Carberry

    Graduate Student
    May 19, 2018 | 06:14 p.m.

    Hi Merle,

    I am a high school math teacher at an all-girls private and therefore only see girls’ math identities.  I hope that as a department we are showing our students that females can do math and do belong in the mathematics field since four out of our five math teachers are female.  On back to school night we make sure to tell our students’ parents that their daughters’ mindset about her ability to do math starts at home and that it is important for them to talk positively about mathematics. Do you provide any inquiry-based professional development opportunities to teachers in addition to having the Networked Improvement Community?

    Thanks, Allison

  • Icon for: Merle Froschl

    Merle Froschl

    Lead Presenter
    Director, Educational Equity
    May 20, 2018 | 10:59 a.m.

    Allison, thanks for your comments and for all the good work you are doing. Having female teachers as role models and involving families are two of the most important strategies for fostering a positive math identity in girls. We do provide professional development to teachers -- where are you located? if you would like to explore the possibility, you can reach me directly at mfroschl@fhi360.org.

    Thanks, Merle

     

     
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    Discussion is closed. Upvoting is no longer available

    Allison Carberry
  • Lorraine Howard

    Higher Ed Faculty
    May 21, 2018 | 02:57 p.m.

    Hello, Furthering Girls' Math Identity Team,

    I am honored to have the opportunity to both work with and advance my own learning in this NSF sponsored researcher-practitioner (RP) collaborative endeavor. The results of this RP Initiative is groundbreaking, especially in its collaboration focus. Indeed, advancing girls' sustained interest and pursuit in the mathematical sciences can be most effective when all stakeholders, including parents, communities, corporate, public and non-public entities collaborate and strategically partner with each other to make mathematics relevant in a student's life. It will be through these interactive in- and out-of school learning opportunities that the excitement and joy of "doing" mathematics will be realized, especially for girls.

    Keep up your great work, Merle, Maryann and Ben!

  • Icon for: Maryann Stimmer

    Maryann Stimmer

    Co-Presenter
    Senior Technical Advisor
    May 21, 2018 | 03:02 p.m.

    Thank you for the comment Lorraine!  And thank you for the important work that you do with WME.

  • Icon for: Merle Froschl

    Merle Froschl

    Lead Presenter
    Director, Educational Equity
    May 21, 2018 | 03:18 p.m.

    Thank you, Lorraine. It has been a pleasure to work with you as well! Your RP project on strengthening girls' math identity through problem-based learning makes a real contribution to the field.

  • Further posting is closed as the event has ended.