Gender gap in STEM pathways: the role of secondary curricula in a highly differentiated school system—the case of Chile
Abstract Background STEM fields are instrumental in increasing the technological and innovative capacity of the economy. As women are underrepresented in the STEM workforce, diverse strategies have been implemented to boost their preparedness and interest in these fields, including early exposure to...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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SpringerOpen
2023-09-01
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| Series: | International Journal of STEM Education |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40594-023-00450-7 |
| _version_ | 1797556748817530880 |
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| author | María Paola Sevilla Daniela Luengo-Aravena Mauricio Farías |
| author_facet | María Paola Sevilla Daniela Luengo-Aravena Mauricio Farías |
| author_sort | María Paola Sevilla |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background STEM fields are instrumental in increasing the technological and innovative capacity of the economy. As women are underrepresented in the STEM workforce, diverse strategies have been implemented to boost their preparedness and interest in these fields, including early exposure to academic and vocational STEM courses. Using the case of Chile’s highly differentiated school system, this paper examines the role of secondary curricula on students’ enrollment and persistence in STEM programs offered by vocational postsecondary institutions and universities. In doing so, we seek to identify whether exposure to STEM courses within the academic or vocational tracks translates into fewer gender differences in STEM higher education. Results Our results reveal that upper-secondary tracks connected to STEM courses are positively associated with enrollment in STEM higher education and, to some degree, persistence. More specifically, exposure to STEM courses in the academic track is the most effective path to boost chances of enrolling in STEM university programs but has no connection to later persistence. In contrast, applied STEM courses within the vocational tracks perform better in the case of STEM programs in postsecondary vocational institutions both in enrollment and persistence. However, this STEM pipeline significantly amplifies gender gaps as males benefit more than women from early exposure to applied STEM courses. We also found that other indirect routes, such as enrolling in STEM university programs from the vocational track with applied STEM courses, boost female participation in these programs, helping reduce gender gaps. Conclusions While secondary STEM courses attract more female students to STEM higher education, they alone are insufficient to achieve gender equality in STEM fields as gender gaps widen in the more effective routes. In highly differentiated school systems, policymakers and high school leaders should offer increased support to women interested in STEM studies and careers across all secondary tracks to boost female participation in STEM fields. At the same time, all high school students should be able to select both academic and applied STEM courses as a part of their non-mandatory curriculum. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T17:06:19Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d47b736ae3a34100b7bfec1880f6eabc |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2196-7822 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T17:06:19Z |
| publishDate | 2023-09-01 |
| publisher | SpringerOpen |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of STEM Education |
| spelling | doaj.art-d47b736ae3a34100b7bfec1880f6eabc2023-11-20T10:48:31ZengSpringerOpenInternational Journal of STEM Education2196-78222023-09-0110111610.1186/s40594-023-00450-7Gender gap in STEM pathways: the role of secondary curricula in a highly differentiated school system—the case of ChileMaría Paola Sevilla0Daniela Luengo-Aravena1Mauricio Farías2Faculty of Education, Pontificia Universidad Católica de ChileCenter for Advanced Research in Education, Universidad de ChileSuperintendencia de Educación, Gobierno de ChileAbstract Background STEM fields are instrumental in increasing the technological and innovative capacity of the economy. As women are underrepresented in the STEM workforce, diverse strategies have been implemented to boost their preparedness and interest in these fields, including early exposure to academic and vocational STEM courses. Using the case of Chile’s highly differentiated school system, this paper examines the role of secondary curricula on students’ enrollment and persistence in STEM programs offered by vocational postsecondary institutions and universities. In doing so, we seek to identify whether exposure to STEM courses within the academic or vocational tracks translates into fewer gender differences in STEM higher education. Results Our results reveal that upper-secondary tracks connected to STEM courses are positively associated with enrollment in STEM higher education and, to some degree, persistence. More specifically, exposure to STEM courses in the academic track is the most effective path to boost chances of enrolling in STEM university programs but has no connection to later persistence. In contrast, applied STEM courses within the vocational tracks perform better in the case of STEM programs in postsecondary vocational institutions both in enrollment and persistence. However, this STEM pipeline significantly amplifies gender gaps as males benefit more than women from early exposure to applied STEM courses. We also found that other indirect routes, such as enrolling in STEM university programs from the vocational track with applied STEM courses, boost female participation in these programs, helping reduce gender gaps. Conclusions While secondary STEM courses attract more female students to STEM higher education, they alone are insufficient to achieve gender equality in STEM fields as gender gaps widen in the more effective routes. In highly differentiated school systems, policymakers and high school leaders should offer increased support to women interested in STEM studies and careers across all secondary tracks to boost female participation in STEM fields. At the same time, all high school students should be able to select both academic and applied STEM courses as a part of their non-mandatory curriculum.https://doi.org/10.1186/s40594-023-00450-7Vocational educationHigher educationSTEM pipelineGender differences |
| spellingShingle | María Paola Sevilla Daniela Luengo-Aravena Mauricio Farías Gender gap in STEM pathways: the role of secondary curricula in a highly differentiated school system—the case of Chile International Journal of STEM Education Vocational education Higher education STEM pipeline Gender differences |
| title | Gender gap in STEM pathways: the role of secondary curricula in a highly differentiated school system—the case of Chile |
| title_full | Gender gap in STEM pathways: the role of secondary curricula in a highly differentiated school system—the case of Chile |
| title_fullStr | Gender gap in STEM pathways: the role of secondary curricula in a highly differentiated school system—the case of Chile |
| title_full_unstemmed | Gender gap in STEM pathways: the role of secondary curricula in a highly differentiated school system—the case of Chile |
| title_short | Gender gap in STEM pathways: the role of secondary curricula in a highly differentiated school system—the case of Chile |
| title_sort | gender gap in stem pathways the role of secondary curricula in a highly differentiated school system the case of chile |
| topic | Vocational education Higher education STEM pipeline Gender differences |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40594-023-00450-7 |
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