(In)visible Witnesses: Drawing on young people’s media literacy skills to explore gendered representations of science, technology, engineering and mathematics

Abstract

This report describes further work on the (In)visible Witnesses project and so continues the work described in the first report (In)visible witnesses: Investigating gendered representations of scientists, technologists, engineers and mathematicians on UK children’s television (Whitelegg et. al, 2008). It should therefore be read alongside this earlier report where the background and rationale for the project as a whole is described. A link to this report can be found below, under "Related URLs". The aims of the work described in the report, however, remain the same as those of the original study: 1. Study the (re)construction of gendered representations of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) on UK television, i.e. to investigate the continuing portrayal of established stereotypes of STEM and document the emergence of new images. 2. Investigate the extent to which these images might affect children and young people’s perceptions of STEM