Imagine

Based on a “philosophy of practice” the schools interested will develop a series of Pilot Activities (PA). The PA are implemented to integrate the learning process at school with practical activities. On the basis of the need to make young people aware on what science and technology professions are, Pilot Activities were aimed at: connecting the schools with the world of the research; building a direct contact between researchers and students; new opportunities for students to understand scientific data processing in the business world. The core of the activities was a series of visits of the students involved in 9 laboratories, where the researchers have welcomed them, explained their activity, their everyday life, along with the understanding of specific scientific disciplines.

The main objectives of the Pilot Activities (PA) are:

1. to understand the loss of interest of young people, particularly girls, in science and technology studies and careers by exploring differences in their perception of S&T professionals, and raise awareness among experts and stakeholders on this issue;

2. to promote social dialogue among researchers, teachers, students, parents and other social actors to identify the main issues and expectations of these groups;

3. to develop and test a range of PA to help overcome gender differences and create a connection between secondary school students and science and technology.

We can say that, from the experience carried out in the first year of the project, many things can be done regarding the modification of the stereotypes and the social roles, starting from school, involving all social factors that in some way have a determining role on the training of young people, their parents and teachers. In particular, we refer to the modification of stereotyped behaviour, to the reduction of gender approach, to the greater involvement of the female gender in male roles either at school or at home, to the increase moreover of the contacts and the interaction with the external world, especially with the female gender exponents that occupy roles of responsibility, of management, etc. in various applied fields: the scientific, technological and social ones.

Greater involvement of school and family in training activities could therefore bring a valid contribution to the change of the roles and of the stereotypes of today's society, which are still quite present and which influence future choices, especially those of girls.

Across the six countries involved in this project, the starting point is a perception of S&T which confirms the current stereotypes, as with other large surveys, such as the Eurobarometer. In particular, the exact sciences are generally considered to be more difficult than human studies, as they would imply a special talent. On the other hand, technology involves a lot of sawing: being a hands-on activity, many students think that you need to be physically strong and that you get dirty, leading them to think that it is more a field for boys than for girls. Sciences and technology arouse spontaneous positive feelings amongst our participants.

We didn't find any conclusive differences between the two genders in terms of education choices and job opportunities. It is worrying that students do not seem to have a clear concept of the professions available. Their frame of reference is primarily the subjects they have at school and the experiments they perform there. In particular, participants call for a better knowledge of the S&T professions: all our participants told us of the importance of practice in S&T, and they see S&T as strongly linked with reality. In order to come closer to S&T, gaining experience with science and technology since an early age emerged to be very important.

Moreover, a change in stereotypes has to be carried out starting from teachers, role models, from the meetings with S&T professionals in schools, science centres, museums, and through the media, in fiction and advertising, by filming interviews with young and dynamic role models, both for boys and girls. Practically, a direct participation and a 'science and scientific careers in action' approach is desired as much as possible.

In conclusion, it can be said that the results of the project provided, in our opinion, an important contribution to the subject of women in science and in technology, by investigating among younger children the causes that determine their professional choices, proposing integrated actions among the world of school, the scientific community, and society in general, on a European level.

So greater involvement of schools in training activities could provide a valid contribution to the changing of roles and of stereotypes that are still quite present in today's society and that influence future choices, especially for girls.

http://gapp.sissa.it/Partners.aspx?section=34

http://www.scientix.eu/web/guest/projects/project-detail?articleId=52058

Create

This model is a two-year project meant to explore gender differences at the time of choosing a science careers. Innovative participatory research methods and a range of practical activities to overcome gender differences are the project focus. It is implementing through 4 steps of activities:

1. Focus groups with young people, parents and teachers
2. In depth interviews with scientists
3. Open Space Technology workshops
4. Pilot activities with school groups

The PA consist in activities which spur young people towards a scientific interdisciplinary view, more capable to meet the complexity of the contemporary world, explaining how science and technology are connected to their everyday life. The PA structure.  The Pilot Activities consist in activities which spur young people towards a scientific interdisciplinary view, more capable to meet the complexity of the contemporary world, explaining how science and technology are connected to their everyday life, and giving them a modern vision of science, on the one hand, while exploring the gender gap in science and technology professions. The result starts from the scientific interests of young people for developing hands-on activities, workshops, visits, laboratory activities in different institutions, in order to create a connection between what they studied and the real world. Each pilot activity features an active meeting of young people with researchers in the field of S&T.

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Students, especially female students, will create a blog and a group on social media with which they will share their experiences during the project and motivate other students and encourage them to undertake scientific studies and jobs considered to be strictly suited to the male gender.

Teachers could include activities with research centers in school books and involve students in their activities who feel unfit for the study of scientific subjects.

The students could continue to dialogue with female researchers and ask if it is possible to do six internships at these research centers involved and prepare the scientific work of disciplinary study to be taken to graduation exams and to understand well what will be the study that awaits them if they choose degrees in science.

For more information contact Dr.ssa Flora Di Martino dmartino@cittadellascienza.it