Abstract:

The UN 2030 Agenda has set a goal for the equality and empowerment of women, both in education (SDG 4) and socially and professionally (SDG 5). In 2017 only 28.8 per cent of workers in Science and Technology (S&T) worldwide were women, leading this inequality to sound the alarm bells of experts in the field of Education. The literature states that the cause of this gender gap, which is especially more persistent in areas such as Physics or Computing , results from the combination of a wide range of factors that go beyond classroom dynamics, as historical and socio-cultural aspects interfere with the way girls feel less identified with the area of S&T. Studies on gender issues and how they affect learning, suggest that the specific dynamics adopted in the classroom favour the academic results of boys. In the particular case of Physics, these classroom dynamics are identified in the literature as having four main causes: the role of the language used in Physics, the role of the teachers, the curricular interventions, and the assessment process. With the aim of achieving a more inclusive school that promotes a more balanced society, it is interesting to understand what teachers can do in their teaching practices to minimize the gender gap that tends to occur in the teaching and learning of Physics, through girl-friendly strategies. Given the apparent lack of literature in this field in Portugal, we set out to understand how the way physics lessons are conducted affects girls' performance in this subject. To this end, the research involved carrying out an exploratory study, using focus groups, with the participation of three 12th year students, with the option subject of Physics, from a secondary school in the Lisbon district. A semi-structured interview script with eight questions was used to assess the teacher's role in choosing this subject, the role of peers, the type of activities carried out during lessons, including assessment, the way they participate in them, and the characteristics needed to be good at the subject. The data was analyzed using the content analysis technique and qualitative data analysis software. The results show that physics teachers use traditional methodologies, such as lectures, theory and problems, and laboratory classes, which are preferred by the students, especially when the teacher interacts with them. In the opinion of the girls who took part in the study, male colleagues seem to monopolize class time and this is one of the factors, according to the students, that affects their performance. The results of this study are in line with the four main areas identified in the literature, but as it is only an exploratory study, it is a starting point for more comprehensive research to get to know the national panorama.

Keywords:

Gender gap, Physics, equity, classroom.