Why Should We Care if Girls Like Math?

Nearly two decades have passed since a mass-produced Barbie Doll caught flak for saying "Math class is tough." However, the perception (or is it reality?) that girls don't like math persists. In this presentation, Suzi Taylor, Director of the MSU Science Math Resource Center, looks at trends for girls and women in math, examines some surprising data about women's attitudes towards math worldwide, and prompts us to consider whether Hollywood is with us or against us!

The video is closed captioned. The resources referenced in the talk are linked below; additional resources on gender equity in STEM are also included. 

Thanks to Karen Peterson and the National Girls Collaborative Project as well as the Montana Girls STEM Collaborative for resources and inspiration and to the MSU Women's Center for hosting this talk! This material is based upon work supported in part by the National Science Foundation EPSCoR Cooperative Agreement OIA-1757351. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

References included in the talk

• Data on the gap in STEM workers - NewAmericanEconomy.org
• Gender Diverse Workplaces - Gallup Poll
• Degrees awarded to women in math and statistics - National Science Foundation
• Degrees in computer science - National Science Foundation
• Women's confidence in STEM - Forbes
• Confidence in math - Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics
• Media and Culture - Frontiers in Psychology
• Do girls like math? The answer matters. The National Science Foundation presents research from Maria Charles about students’ attitudes about math internationally, and how they are affected by gender.
• U.S. Department of Education: What Works Clearinghouse
• Women in Media - SeeJane.org
• Positive Media Message in STEM - SeeJane.org
• The Gender Gap in Math is Not Universal - American Statistical Association
• SciGirls Seven: How to Engage Girls in STEM
• Freakonomics Podcast Interview with Miyam Bialek

Other resources on gender equity in STEM

• Keeping Girls in STEM: 3 Barriers, 3 Solutions - Edutopia.org. Stereotypes and cultural norms dampen girls' interest in STEM, but educators can counter the disparities with small changes to their practice.

• 5 Ways Society Sabotages Girls’ Interests in Math and Science (Forbes)

• Math + culture = gender gap? Researchers have all but debunked the idea that girls are innately worse at math than boys. But psychologists have identified other factors that might set girls back.  American Psychological Association

To stay informed on this topic, please follow the Montana Girls STEM Collaborative on Facebook and subscribe to our quarterly e-newsletter! For questions about this talk or the resources, contact Suzi Taylor with the Science Math Resource Center at [email protected]