Abstract:

Gender gap exists in mathematics and in other scientific subjects, such as physics [1], in favour of boys [2]. We have incorporated a gender perspective in the subject Statistics in Industrial Design Engineering. It is a basic subject of the first course of that grade in Jaume I University (Spain). This subject should cover the basic concepts in Statistics that students will need in following subjects: Descriptive Statistics, Probability and Inference, in 150 hours, 60 of them are in the classroom or laboratory. We have considered a set of indicators in order to guide the gender perspective integration, elaborated by [3]. These indicators are grouped in four blocks: learning context, knowledge, how we work, auto-regulation and self-autonomy. These indicators have been taken into consideration in order to plan the syllabus and develop the course in: the vision, methodology, materials, evaluation, etc. In summary, the basic points are: 1) we consider applied statistics, based on data and interpretation; 2) learning statistics, making statistics, through a project and using cooperative learning; 3) making activities that connect statistics to students’ lives, not only oriented to engineering; 4) showing important female statisticians; 5) appropriate language and bibliography.
This approach has been shown to have positive outcomes with respect to all students’ achievement, attitudes, and participation in mathematics, but particularly for girls and women [2.] The results are analyzed, both numerically (the percentage that student who passed was increased and all the female students who followed the subject, passed) and through the interview to past students, who were more satisfied and said that they learned more. The ideas and material can be used in other basic Statistics subjects at the university, and adapted at secondary school.

References:
[1] Zohar, Anat; Sela, David. Her Physics, His Physics: Gender Issues in Israeli Advanced Placement Physics Classes. International Journal of Science Education, v25 n2 p245-68, 2003.
[2] Jennifer Hall. Gender Issues in Mathematics: An Ontario Perspective. JOURNAL OF TEACHING AND LEARNING, 2012, VOL. 8 NO. 1.
[3] Grupo de Investigación “Gènere, Ciència i Ensenyament de les Ciències”. Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona. http://grupsderecerca.uab.cat/genere_ciencia/

Keywords:

Gender issue, Coeducation, Statistics in Engineering, Mathematics.