10933 Views (as of 05/2023)
  1. Marie Domingo
  2. Producer / Managing Producer
  3. Presenter’s NSFRESOURCECENTERS
  4. TPT Twin Cities Public Television
  1. Brenda Britsch
  2. Sr. Research Scientist
  3. Presenter’s NSFRESOURCECENTERS
  4. National Girls Collaborative Project
  1. Rita Karl
  2. http://national.tpt.org/about/who-we-are/
  3. Managing Director of STEM Media & Education
  4. Presenter’s NSFRESOURCECENTERS
  5. TPT Twin Cities Public Television
Presenters’
Choice

SciGirls Strategies

NSF Awards: 1513060

2016 (see original presentation & discussion)

Grades 9-12

SciGirls Strategies: Gender Equitable Teaching Practices in Career and Technical Education Pathways for High School Girls is a three-year professional development initiative designed to help STEM and CTE educators recruit and retain more high school girls from diverse backgrounds in STEM pathways. The project seeks to enhance the teaching and coaching practices of CTE-STEM educators, guidance counselors and role models with gender equitable and culturally responsive strategies; research the impacts of strategies and role model experiences on girls’ interest in STEM careers and evaluate the effectiveness of the training in these strategies. Drawing on the research-based approaches proven to engage girls in STEM which form the foundation of its SciGirls multi-platform activities, Twin Cities PBS is partnering with STEM and gender equity researchers from St. Catherine University, the National Girls Collaborative and the Experiential Science Education Research Collaborative (XSci) at the University of Colorado-Boulder to create, implement, research and evaluate the strategies training and role model resources.

A diverse network of female STEM professionals are receiving training to serve as in-person role models and are being featured in SciGirls Profiles: Women in STEM, a series of twelve short-form videos. (View the full video collection at tpt.org/scigirls-profiles) These industry role models inspire and motivate girls by sharing their experiences, challenges and strategies for success. The featured video is a profile of Caroline, a software engineer who is passionate about using technology to create meaningful experiences for people.

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Discussion from the NSF 2016 STEM For All Video Showcase (28 posts)
  • Icon for: Colleen Lewis

    Colleen Lewis

    Facilitator
    Assistant Professor
    May 16, 2016 | 11:33 a.m.

    This video is awesome! I’m really excited to watch more videos at tpt.org/scigirls-profiles
    - I’d love to hear how you think about measuring the impact of exposing kids to role models like Caroline. Do you have specific knowledge or attitudinal changes you’re hoping to bring about?
    - How do you think about balancing discussion of opportunities in STEM and challenges faced by women and underrepresented minorities in STEM?

    Thanks for making great videos to share! :)
    - Colleen

  • Icon for: Catherine Stimac

    Catherine Stimac

    Executive Producer, Education Productions
    May 16, 2016 | 02:26 p.m.

    Really great profile. What an great example Caroline is! Looking forward to seeing more profiles.

  • Icon for: Rita Karl

    Rita Karl

    Co-Presenter
    Managing Director of STEM Media & Education
    May 16, 2016 | 03:00 p.m.

    Thank you all, the complete series of videos is located at http://www.tpt.org/scigirls-profiles. They are also on our YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/user/scigirlstv and will shortly be available in Spanish.

    These profiles feature women innovators, problem-solvers and dreamers who live right next door. They’re passionate about their work, hobbies, families and helping to make the world a better place. They share their strategies for overcoming challenges and finding success and joy in jobs where women are underrepresented, and inspire girls to pursue all kinds of interests and careers.

  • Icon for: Brenda Britsch

    Brenda Britsch

    Co-Presenter
    Sr. Research Scientist
    May 16, 2016 | 03:19 p.m.

    To add to Rita’s comment, one of the features of the video collection as a whole that I find valuable is the diversity of the women profiled – their backgrounds, career path, etc. So, I encourage viewing them all when you have the opportunity.

  • Icon for: Rita Karl

    Rita Karl

    Co-Presenter
    Managing Director of STEM Media & Education
    May 16, 2016 | 03:06 p.m.

    Thank you for your questions. We have a research study underway for this project that is addressing the impact of role models and role model videos on girls’ STEM identity. The study will examine girls’ personal experiences with equitable strategies embedded into classroom STEM/CTE content and complementary mentoring experiences, both live and video-based. It will explore how these experiences contribute to girls’ STEM-related identity construction against gender-based stereotypes. It will also determine to what extent girls’ exposure to female STEM role models impacts their CTE studies and STEM career aspirations.

    The project is rooted in over a decade of research-based approaches proven to engage girls in STEM. These approaches address specific barriers preventing many high school-age girls from fully participating in CTE-STEM career tracks. These barriers include limited exposure to female STEM role models; stereotypes around girls’ lack of STEM ability and interest; commonly held misperceptions about STEM fields being “unfeminine;” low STEM self-esteem (negative or neutral STEM identity); lack of knowledge and/or misunderstanding of STEM fields; and a disproportionate (and thus intimidating and/or unwelcoming) number of male students and educators in CTE. For minority girls, particularly those of low socioeconomic status, additional barriers can include low exposure to STEM professional role models who look like them. We are strongly committed to being explicit around these barriers and strategies to overcome them in our role model videos!

    Research shows that connecting middle school students to STEM activities and role models is important to the development of STEM interest and career expectations—particularly for girls and minorities. Young girls are rarely exposed to female role models in STEM fields, and this compounds stereotypes that these professions are typically male, white and middle-class. Additionally, in some STEM fields (such as physics, mechanical and computer engineering) men significantly outnumber women, and this adds to the broader socio-historical perception of STEM fields as predominantly masculine. Consequently, individuals who do not fit into the categories find it more difficult to identify fully with these fields and often leave the traditional (or “legitimate”) path to STEM careers. Role models are critical for minority students, for even those who do well in STEM often struggle to identify with STEM fields because they cannot find connections to their lives. An inability to identify with STEM is often compounded by the lack of personal relationships students have with STEM professionals in school classrooms. Several studies show that role models improve students’ STEM identity by increasing attitude change, interest, and self-efficacy in STEM fields.

  • Icon for: Ann Austin

    Ann Austin

    Professor of Higher Education
    May 16, 2016 | 10:47 p.m.

    This is an exciting video—one cannot help but be excited about the science and about the possibilities for women in this field. I am very pleased to know about the research study concerning the impact of role models on girls’ STEM identity. Identifying barriers that undermine the interest of girls in STEM careers and identifying factors that promote such identity provide very useful implications for educators, parents, and scientists. Is this video being shown in school science courses? It would promote very interesting discussion among high school students, I think.

  • Icon for: Brenda Britsch

    Brenda Britsch

    Co-Presenter
    Sr. Research Scientist
    May 17, 2016 | 12:02 p.m.

    Thank you for your comments, Ann. For the current project, the videos will be used in high school CTE (Career, Technical Education) – STEM courses (as will live role models). The videos are available for others to use as they would like, though, and I agree about the potential for the videos to promote great discussion among high school students.

  • Icon for: Cullen White

    Cullen White

    Facilitator
    Director
    May 17, 2016 | 01:56 a.m.

    The video series is awesome! I would love to leverage these in a classroom to inspire more young women to consider STEM careers. How are the videos being introduced to educators, and what methods are you suggesting teachers use to implement them in regular (or irregular!) instruction?

  • Icon for: Brenda Britsch

    Brenda Britsch

    Co-Presenter
    Sr. Research Scientist
    May 17, 2016 | 12:31 p.m.

    Thanks Cullen. For the current project, CTE (Career, Technical Education) – STEM teachers are participating in a course focused on gender equitable teaching strategies that includes information on integrating role models (live and video) in their classrooms. However, we’d love for the videos to be used much more broadly – do you have any suggestions for what type of guidance would be helpful to educators to promote their use? As a start, our team at Twin Cities Public TV has developed a brief guide about the importance of using role models and includes some great ideas about connecting some of the role models/video profiles with other activities in the classroom.

  • Icon for: Shabnam Etemadi

    Shabnam Etemadi

    May 17, 2016 | 11:11 a.m.

    This is a great video and form of advocacy! I love the narrative approach. Are you showing these videos to young girls in middle or elementary school, or is it exclusively used for outreach with high school students?

  • Icon for: Brenda Britsch

    Brenda Britsch

    Co-Presenter
    Sr. Research Scientist
    May 17, 2016 | 12:18 p.m.

    Thanks Shabnam. For the current project, we are focusing on high school students, but I think the videos would be very effective with younger students as well. Do you work with younger students? If so, what do you think?

  • Icon for: Caitlin K. Martin

    Caitlin K. Martin

    Senior Researcher
    May 18, 2016 | 06:37 p.m.

    I think that middle school girls could absolutely identify with these videos. At the Digital Youth Network in Chicago, we are working with 5-8 grade girls in an engineering and CS design out-of-school program that aims to broaden the narrative of who is and can be involved in STEM. Part of our model is to have speakers who represent a range of jobs, looks, and personalities visit the girls, but scheduling can be difficult! I can imagine using a set of these videos along with guided discussion prompts throughout the program. Really exciting! Thanks making this resource available.

  • Icon for: Brenda Britsch

    Brenda Britsch

    Co-Presenter
    Sr. Research Scientist
    May 19, 2016 | 11:43 a.m.

    That’s great to hear, Caitlin! We would love to hear if/how you use the videos. I think having guided discussion prompts would be very valuable and your program sounds like a perfect fit for using the videos.

  • Icon for: Barry Fishman

    Barry Fishman

    Facilitator
    Professor
    May 17, 2016 | 03:07 p.m.

    What a lovely video! And the whole series looks like really well-produced case studies that provide good role models.

    One question I have for you is: How do you select the case subjects?
    Another question is: How are you tracking impact/effect on your intended audience?

    -Barry

  • Icon for: Rita Karl

    Rita Karl

    Co-Presenter
    Managing Director of STEM Media & Education
    May 17, 2016 | 05:32 p.m.

    Great question! We worked very hard to design these profiles based on our “SciGirls Seven: How to Engage Girls in STEM” strategies and our best practices for guide for role models “SciGirls Role Model Strategies: Encouraging Girls to Consider STEM Careers” Both of these guides can be found under the LEARN tab at scigirlsconnect.org.

    We have a terrific advisory board on SciGirls Strategies, including national advisors in the CTE/gender education space and half of whom are local academics and industry professionals. Our local advisors provided us the names of women in IT, engineering, manufacturing and the trades. All women whose names we received were invited to training and to work with schools (we had a fun speed dating event with role models and teachers!). Many women were interviewed based on a need for diversity of topics and diversity of women to complete the final set. SciGirls also tend to tell the stories of early career professionals for the near peer effect.
    We are tracking impact in a few ways, we have a private site for educators, girls, parents and role models to view and comment on them as part of the research study, we created a guide for teachers to use role models (live and video-based) and are gathering data on how teachers use both live and video-based role models in class. We are also asking the role models to fill out a survey after a visit.

  • Icon for: Kathryn Quigley

    Kathryn Quigley

    Producer and Media Lead
    May 17, 2016 | 04:55 p.m.

    This is so great! There seem to be two levels to the project: the project itself, SciGirls Strategies: Gender Equitable Teaching Practices in Career and Technical Education Pathways for High School Girls, AND these fabulous profiles videos- both of which seem great!

    I am curious about the function of the video series in your project. I imagine they could play a double role to inform and inspire high school students about their peers and let the general public/education community know about the project? I noticed that the style of the videos and graphics had a student friendly feeling so I was wondering if your team is hoping these will be played in classrooms?

  • Icon for: Rita Karl

    Rita Karl

    Co-Presenter
    Managing Director of STEM Media & Education
    May 17, 2016 | 05:39 p.m.

    Yes, Kathryn! We are hoping that educators use the videos in addition to live role models to help jump start the discussion about women in non-traditional fields in a very explicit way. They are a part of the course we are providing in the use of gender equitable strategies to address barriers to girls in STEM – one of the most important strategy is the use of role models. We had about 40 women interested in being a role model, made 12 videos, trained about 15 and invited all to a meet and greet to connect them to teachers! and yes, we hope for wider dissemination by our national advisors and showcases like this one!

  • Icon for: Kathryn Quigley

    Kathryn Quigley

    Producer and Media Lead
    May 20, 2016 | 09:20 p.m.

    That is amazing! It is so great to see an example of a media series paired with an on the ground community outreach program! This is so innovative. I am really inspired by your project.

    I work as the media producer for Amplify Science middle school curriculum and am producing among other things a series of short scientist profiles that integrate into our units. Diversity and finding women is a major goal for me in choosing which scientists to profile. Sometimes it takes extra work to find the right fit but it’s always worth going the extra mile thinking about a young girl watching our video and thinking to herself – Hey that could be me! I can do that!

  • Icon for: Rita Karl

    Rita Karl

    Co-Presenter
    Managing Director of STEM Media & Education
    May 22, 2016 | 11:10 a.m.

    So good to hear from you Kathryn and to know of the good work you are doing. Diversity is so important, and of course role models matter! We believe strongly in both video and live role models and are always glad to hear that others share our belief and are working in this space.

  • Icon for: Gretal Leibnitz

    Gretal Leibnitz

    Co-PI & Executive Director
    May 18, 2016 | 08:20 p.m.

    Hi Rita and team!
    Great work! We have crafted a project aimed at faculty as change agents in creating inclusive learning engineering environments (i.e., Engineering Inclusive Teaching: Faculty Professional Development project—www.WSKC.org/EIT.) I would love to link to your work, particularly as a resource for building students self-efficacy, personal vision for students, and counteracting stereotype threat. I have not looked at any other example other than that showcased but are they all of college-level students? Thanks for your work and your thoughts!

  • Icon for: Rita Karl

    Rita Karl

    Co-Presenter
    Managing Director of STEM Media & Education
    May 19, 2016 | 09:10 a.m.

    Thank you Gretal! Please feel free to link to our SciGirls Seven and Role Model Strategies. Join our online SciGirls CONNECT community at scigirlsconnect.org! Our resources are aimed at K-12 and our role models are of all ages, but often entry-level professionals or graduate students. We are currently working on a new project with college students as mentors for middle school girls.

  • Icon for: Gretal Leibnitz

    Gretal Leibnitz

    Co-PI & Executive Director
    May 20, 2016 | 03:36 a.m.

    Awesome! Thanks Rita!

  • Icon for: Christine Cunningham

    Christine Cunningham

    Founder & Director, Engineering is Elementary
    May 20, 2016 | 04:34 p.m.

    Thanks for sharing this video! I’m excited to look at some of the other videos you have available – it looks like you have a wide variety of STEM careers represented. Do you have any plans to expand your video library?

  • Icon for: Marie Domingo

    Marie Domingo

    Lead Presenter
    Producer / Managing Producer
    May 20, 2016 | 04:47 p.m.

    Thanks, Christine! We’re in pre-production now for another series of 12 profile videos showcasing Latina STEM professionals, to be filmed in both English and Spanish. We’d love to hear your suggestions for any specific careers you’d like to see featured.

  • Icon for: Rita Karl

    Rita Karl

    Co-Presenter
    Managing Director of STEM Media & Education
    May 22, 2016 | 10:08 a.m.

    We also have a variety of older short-form scientist profiles available (men and women, English and Spanish) at the following links:

    http://scigirlsconnect.org/page/scientist-profi...

    http://pbskids.org/dragonflytv/scientists/index...

    http://www.pbslearningmedia.org/collection/drag...

  • Icon for: Catherine Stimac

    Catherine Stimac

    Executive Producer, Education Productions
    May 20, 2016 | 10:16 p.m.

    Hi,
    Another NSF funded project I produced several years back includes a few profiles of women in professional CS roles, as well as some online games for middle school girls. The project, called Girls Gather for Computer Science (G2CS) http://g2cs.org/diy/, ran summer camps for the girls three years in a row, taking them on field trips and giving them hands on opportunities. We documented the first year, and our friends as Pacific University in Forest Grove, Oregon, mentor the students for 10 years. The 10 year mark isn’t up yet, but I’m looking forward to the outcomes of the camp. Another resource for you all who are looking for them. SciGirls is terrific!!!

  • Icon for: Rita Karl

    Rita Karl

    Co-Presenter
    Managing Director of STEM Media & Education
    May 22, 2016 | 11:03 a.m.

    Thank you Catherine for the information about your work! Role models matter! We are developing new coding initiatives for SciGirls that will introduce girls and their educators to coding through several tracks including e-textiles, robotics and geospatial technologies.

    We aim to offer tween girls (and their educators!) an introduction to computer science and a foundation for continued experience in the field. In addition the programs will allow girls to pursue interest-driven projects with support from their adult mentors, opportunities for connecting with peers through digital meet ups where girls share their work; and contact with women role models.

  • Icon for: Catherine Stimac

    Catherine Stimac

    Executive Producer, Education Productions
    May 22, 2016 | 11:32 a.m.

    Just watched the video profile of Sandra Begay, from the Navajo Nation. Inspiring! I’ve seen first hand how role models enlighten and inspire young women, and change their trajectory. Thanks Rita, and all for all the great work!

  • Further posting is closed as the event has ended.