Abstract:

Although around half of Europe’s population is female, there exists a very low proportion of women involved in STEM and ICT related fields, which provokes a growing gender gap in these sectors. As active and committed citizens we must be sensitized and be more responsible to a gender-equitable education, realizing all those relevant gender topics (deficits in some STEM/TIC education areas, worrying drop-out rates of girls, loss of innovation capacity for Europe, archaic rooted stereotypes, etc.). Moreover, if we trust in science as a solving tool for global issues, the female perspective should be incorporated to reach the best solutions. From our responsible position as educators and researchers we should take part and make inclusive actions to bridge these gender differences.

Education certainly seems to be a privileged means to encourage girls to pursue studies linked to STEM, ICT and entrepreneurship. As part of one of the multiple initiatives of the International Center for STEM Education (ICSE) we participated in a project aiming to encourage girls’ interest in STEM and ICT subjects and to inspire them to choose careers and become entrepreneurs in these fields. This initiative is part of the innovation action founded by European Union and called Empower Girls to Embrace their Digital and Entrepreneurial Potential (acronym GEM). In the GEM project, partners from higher education institutions from 11 European countries have organized summer schools for girls including a great diversity of activities that will be piloted. Among other specific outcomes, it was expected that girls raised interest in STEM disciplines, being aware of their own potential as well as of gender stereotypes and performing successfully in STEM fields. Thus, they will feel confident to study or pursue careers in STEM sectors and to consider themselves as suitable for leadership positions. This will turn into a raise in the employability of women within STEM labour markets.

The main aim of this paper is twofold. Firstly, to present the main ideas and guidelines under the design and development of the first Spanish GEM Summer School edition. Secondly, to present some preliminary results measuring some aspects of the project impact. Regarding the first one, sixty-two girls from secondary schools have experienced, along a week, exciting and meaningful inspiring activities guided by 19 female researchers, entrepreneurs and scientists (mentors) that acted as real role-models representing successful women in STEM fields. Mentors offered to those female students’ different scenarios and opportunities to actively participate in their own research projects, providing them with an immersion experience in cutting edge research topics in different scientific domains. Secondly, several instruments were designed to analyze part of the impact through a pre-post design and case studies. Although the intervention was short and the initial motivation for STEM among girls was high, the preliminary results can be considered as relevant. These preliminary results show a positive impact on the participating girls, with different levels of significance and in several items, related to attitudes and beliefs about STEM and future professional orientation, as well as positive feedback about the scientific and useful content of the activities developed during the Summer School.

Keywords:

STEM, Summer School, Inclusive education.