Government policy on science education in Uganda: a glass ceiling for women's access to higher education

The paper assesses the Ugandan policy on science education and its implications for girls’ access to higher education. The rationale behind this policy was to build capacity in the field of science in Uganda. Consequently, science subjects were made compulsory in schools, and 75% of the Government scholarships to public universities made science based. We demonstrate that this has created a “glass ceiling”: it has put girls at a disadvantage by reinstating the former status quo, where access to higher education favoured boys. This is because Ugandan society (at home and in school) discourages girls’ pursuit of the sciences. In addition, the policy was prematurely implemented with no adequate preparation for girls to take science based courses. Using content analysis, this study found that the policy was not guided by inclusion and/or equity principles to which Uganda committed as a signatory more than two decades ago, to the World Conference of Education for All (EFA) held in Jomtein, Thailand. These principles advocate removing obstacles to learning, and embracing diversity in education so that every learner is included

Bourdieu, networks, and movements: Using the concepts of habitus, field and capital to understand a network analysis of gender differences in undergraduate physics

Current trends suggest that significant gender disparities exist within Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education at university, with female students being underrepresented in physics, but more equally represented in life sciences (e.g., biology, medicine). To understand these trends, it is important to consider the context in which students make decisions about which university courses to enrol in. The current study seeks to investigate gender differences in STEM through a unique approach that combines network analysis of student enrolment data with an interpretive lens based on the sociological theory of Pierre Bourdieu. We generate a network of courses taken by around 9000 undergraduate physics students (from 2009 to 2014) to quantify Bourdieu's concept of field. We explore the properties of this network to investigate gender differences in transverse movements (between different academic fields) and vertical movements (changes in students' achievement rankings within a field). Our findings indicate that female students are more likely to make transverse movements into life science fields. We also find that university physics does a poor job in attracting high achieving students, and especially high achieving female students. Of the students who do choose to study physics, low achieving female students are less likely to continue than their male counterparts. The results and implications are discussed in the context of Bourdieu's theory, and previous research. We argue that in order to remove constraints on female student's study choices, the field of physics needs to provide a culture in which all students feel like they belong.Comment: 23 pages, 6 figures, 1 tabl

Globalisation and Skills for Development in Rwanda and Tanzania

International Development,

Gender issues in computer‐supported learning

Contemporary research identifies significant gender‐related differences in performance and interaction style in computer‐supported learning (CSL) environments. Evidence suggests that initial perceptions of these environments as democratic and offering equal opportunities to all students were flawed because interactions that take place through electronic channels lose none of the sociocultural complexity or gender imbalance that already exists within society. This paper presents a summary of gender‐related issues identified by international research and academic practice together with the opinions expressed by participants in a discussion forum staged at Alt‐C in 2001. Two main questions were addressed during the conference forum. Firstly, if computer access and literacy levels are assumed to be equalizing as the literature suggests, how can educational designers using CSL technologies best serve all student groups? Secondly, does the existence of gender‐based differences in behaviour and interaction style in CSL environments mean that any student group is disadvantaged? The paper concludes with suggestions about how educational designers might increase the flexibility of CSL courses to offer equal opportunities to all students. A number of issues for further research are also identified

Promoting a career in engineering : an investigation of factors influencing career decision-making in New Zealand

This thesis reports on survey research, conducted on a sample of Year 12 students within New Zealand who attended school in the Greater Auckland region during Autumn 2009. The survey gathered data in order to assess the students’ knowledge, attitudes, and the perceived influences on those attitudes, towards engineering as a career or field of study. The purpose of the research was to better understand factors that may influence Year 12 New Zealanders’ career decisions, especially with respect to careers in engineering, with a view to recommending to stakeholders how enrolment into Bachelor of Engineering programs might be increased.Schools were selected using stratified random sampling, and their Principals were approached through a strategy of emails, telephone calls, and by local personal contact. The students were surveyed via an online questionnaire, administered by school teachers and/or careers personnel, and conducted within school hours. A total of 292 students from 9 schools within the Greater Auckland region took part, and a variety of statistical techniques was used to analyze their responses.The New Zealand students were assessed as having a good knowledge of the benefits and demands of a career in engineering, and a positive attitude towards many of the suggested traits of engineering careers. Contradictions were found between the students’ perceived influences on their career choices, and the patterns of their response choices to a number of the survey questions. Statistically significant relationships were also found between the gender and ethnic background of the survey sample, the students’ attitudes towards careers in general and towards careers specifically in engineering, the influences on those attitudes, and the students’ selection of engineering as a career or field of study.Conclusions were drawn based on the research findings, and recommendations made as to how enrolment into Bachelor of Engineering programs might be increased. The recommendations formulated are directed to practitioners within the engineering profession and also to advisors within the education sector. Recommendations for additional research are then made

Evaluation of Enrolment and Performance Patterns of Male and Female Graduates in Guidance and Counseling Programme: A University of Ibadan Study

The purpose of this study is to review the enrolment pattern and performance of male and female students in the guidance and counselling programme of university of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria. The participants sampled for the study consisted of graduate students in the department of guidance and counselling of faculty of education, university of Ibadan, Ibadan which had undergone the programme from 2008/2009 - 2012/2013 academic sessions. Two hundred and thirty-seven students’ results for the periods in question were used which comprises of ninety-seven males and one hundred and forty female students. The data was extracted from departmental records of admission and graduation lists. To examine the enrolment pattern and their performance pattern, frequency and t-test statistical tools were used. Results on enrolment pattern favoured the female and that there is no significant difference in the academic performance (t=0.536, df + 235 and p = 0.59). This study suggests that the course is not meant for women alone and those females are not significantly performed better than male counterparts. It is recommended that Counselling Association of Nigeria (CASSON) should try as much as possible to educate masses on the importance and usefulness of the course and profession at large for human race. Finally, the schools responsible for producing guidance counsellors should make adequate provision for the counsellors in trainee to be well trained in both theory and practical. Keywords: Enrolment, Performance, Guidance & Counselling, Programme, Gender

Single-sex schools and science engagement

This paper considers whether single-sex schooling affects gendered patterns in the uptake of science courses in year 11 and the development of science-related career paths. In particular, the author is interested in exploring gender differences surrounding the life and physical sciences. The author explores these issues using data from the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth. Differences in the uptake of life and physical science subjects by males and females occur across all schools. In girls-only schools girls are more likely to undertake physical science subjects than their female counterparts in co-educational schools, but there is no difference when it comes to planning a physical science career. On the other hand, boys in boys-only schools are no more likely to take up life science subjects than their male counterparts in co-educational schools, but they are more likely to plan life science careers

Whose Children Gain from Starting School Later? Evidence from Hungary

We look at the effect of school starting age on standardized test scores using data covering all grade four and grade eight students in Hungary. Instrumental variables estimates of the local average treatment effect suggest that children generally gain from starting school one year later and the effects are much stronger in the case of students coming from low-educated families. We test the robustness of the results by allowing for heterogeneity in the age effect, distinguishing between fields of testing, using discontinuity samples and relying on alternative data. The hypothesis that delayed entry has a stronger impact on low-status children is supported by the robustness checks. The observed patterns are most probably explained by the better performance of kindergartens, as opposed to schools, in developing the skills of low-status children.education, student test scores, enrolment age, identification

Gender differences in tertiary education: what explains STEM participation

The share of women achieving tertiary education has increased rapidly over time and now exceeds that of men in most OECD countries. However, women are severely under-represented in mathsintensive science fields, which are generally referred to as STEM (science, technology, engineering, and maths). The under-representation of women in these subject areas has received a great deal of attention. This is because these fields are seen to be especially important for productivity and economic growth and are associated with occupations that have higher earnings. Subject of degree is an important part of the explanation for the gender wage gap. The aim of this paper is to review evidence on explanations for the STEM gap in tertiary education. This starts with statistics about background context and evidence on how well-prepared male and female students may be for studying STEM at a later stage. I then discuss what the literature has to say about the role of personal attributes: namely confidence, self-efficacy and competitiveness and the role of preferences and expectations. I go on to discuss features of the educational context thought to be important for influencing attributes and preferences (or mediating their effects): peers; teachers; role models; and curriculum. I then briefly discuss broader cultural influences. I use the literature reviewed to discuss policy implications