Abstract:

The research was carried out by the UNESCO Regional Chair in Women, Science and Technology in Latin America-FLACSO, together with Chicos.net and with the support of Disney Latin America.

There are gender inequalities that affect and condition the decisions that determine people’s future since childhood.

Today, it is crucial to develop skills related to scientific and technological thinking. Thus, the scarce number of women in STEM-related careers (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) is a concern that has long ago become a source of discussion. This issue is critical to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals (2030 Agenda).

In this context, the Research was carried out to generate knowledge about the conditions and factors that favor and/or limit in childhood the opportunities and possibilities of boys and girls to be interested, develop skills and build a satisfactory relationship in the learning of STEM. It studied boys and girls aged 6-10 in Mexico City (Mexico), São Paulo (Brazil) and Buenos Aires (Argentina). The opinions, assessments, expectations, and representations of children, parents, and teachers related to the STEM areas were collected and analyzed.

Objectives:
- Investigate how boys and girls aged 6-10 relate to science and technology, and recognize their perceptions of STEM.
- Identify gender biases by teachers, parents, and guardians that impact the relationship between boys and girls with STEM areas.
- Propose specific actions, recommendations, and tools to disassemble gender biases in education and the family environment.

This research was carried out in the framework of the Compromiso Disney (Disney Commitment) regional skill building program and its Digital Culture and Innovation in Education initiatives, which promote children’s rights in the digital era.

The program includes free Training for Teachers through e-learning and webinars hosted by experts in the matter, free educational resources, ongoing research, and activities and workshops for children.

Findings Highlights:
• 9 out of 10 girls aged 6-8 associate engineering with male affinities and skills. Although girls and boys think that the four STEM disciplines can be performed by both men and women.
• Girls’ interest in mathematics decreases as they progress through school.
• 1 out of 3 parents in Buenos Aires thinks that the low participation of girls in science and technology is a consequence of girls’ personal taste and that they receive few stimuli at home and in school to be interested in and to relate to those disciplines.
More information at http://bit.ly/research-gender

Innovative aspects of the research:
● Unexplored topic in the region. There were no studies analyzing gender differences and inequalities related to science and technology in childhood, particularly during the first years of formal education.
● Focus groups of both girls and boys to identify their perceptions and assessments, considering self-assessment as critical information of the problem, which is rarely considered as part of the analysis. Recommendations focus on the need to work with boys as one of the pillars to improve the inclusion of girls in science and technology.
● It proposes an articulated strategy with the responsible parts for children and teenager education and upbringing: families, State, educators, social organizations, schools, and companies.

Keywords:

Gender, stem, digital culture.