SciGirls+7

Do having these elements in learning situations sound good to you? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_SciGirls_episodes

What PBS Scigirls does to interest girls in STEM. Overview:
 * Features real girls doing investigations they’re passionate about.
 * Focus is on the total girl, not just her interest in STEM
 * Highlights the process of science

1. Girls benefit from collaboration, especially when they can participate and communicate fairly. (Parker & Rennie, 2002; Fancsali, 2002)
 * Encourage working in small groups
 * Use different methods for forming groups. Kids should be grouped with different members from time to time.
 * Experiment with both cooperative (assigned roles) and collaborative (no predetermined roles) groupings.
 * Speak up promptly if a girl makes a distasteful remark, even jokingly. Set the rules at the start: no teasing or unfriendly talk.
 * Create a community atmosphere that is open and positive. Start with “icebreaker” activities involving communication and teamwork.

2. Girls are motivated by projects they find personally relevant and meaningful. (Eisenhart & Finkel, 1998; Thompson & Windschitl, 2005; Liston, et al. 2008)
 * Look for ways to connect the material to the girls’ lives.
 * Demonstrate and talk about your own enthusiasm for the scientific material, and how it affects you personally.
 * Create a “need to know.” As you are preparing, ask yourself, why would kids need to know this?
 * Use case studies. Kids generally relate to characters who face decisions or dilemmas; they often make connections from the story to their own lives.

3. Girls enjoy hands-on, open-ended projects and investigations. (Chatman, et al., 2008; Burkam, et al.,1997; Fanscali, 2002)
 * Think before delivering an activity with step-by-step directions. Don’t shortchange your girls by assuming they can’t do something without prescribed directions. Release their inner explorer and let them surprise you!
 * Encourage girls to suggest approaches to a problem. When stumped, have girls start by identifying, drawing, or labeling things they understand.
 * Resist answering the question “Is this right?” Rather, suggest ways for girls to check the answer for themselves.

4. Girls are motivated when they can approach projects in their own way, applying their creativity, unique talents and preferred learning styles. (Eisenhart & Finkel,1998; Calabrese Barton, et al., 2008; Tan & Calabrese Barton, 2008)
 * Allow girls to design their own experiments and tests. Act as a facilitator rather than a leader or expert. Emphasize that everyone is learning and discovering together.
 * Encourage girls to communicate their findings using a variety of techniques: poetry, music, posters, plays, slideshows, 2D- and 3D-models, drawings, graphs, etc.
 * Use girls’ language to reiterate their point. Use a board or large sheet of paper to document each person’s participation. Write the idea as you hear it—don’t reword unless you have permission from the speaker.
 * Help girls feel that they are valued members of a group by asking them to share personal stories. A journal or blog (for older girls) provides an avenue for reflection on learning.

5. Girls’ confidence and performance improves in response to specific, positive feedback on things they can control – such as effort, strategies and behaviors. (Halpern, et al., 2007; Zeldin & Pajares, 2000; Blackwell, et al., 2007; Mueller & Dweck, 1998)
 * Reward success publicly and immediately. Give girls some indication of how well they have done and how to improve. Avoid statements such as “You are really good at this!” It sends the message that being smart doesn’t require effort or struggle.
 * Convey the same level of respect for and confidence in the abilities of all your girls. Introduce girls to the good work done by their peers. Share the ideas, knowledge, and accomplishments of individuals with the group as a whole.
 * Let a girl know you believe she can improve and succeed over time. When you identify a child’s weakness, make it clear that your comments relate to a particular task or performance, not to the child as a person. The brain is a muscle that can get stronger with time; skills can be improved with practice.
 * Emphasize that working scientists struggle and make mistakes, too.

6. Girls gain confidence and trust in their own reasoning when encouraged to think critically. (Chatman, et al., 2008; Eisenhart & Finkel,1998)
 * Let girls rise to the challenge and embrace the scientific process. It is okay to make mistakes; there is more than one way to solve a problem.
 * Support an environment free of instant answers. Gently brush aside girls’ anxiety about not getting the answer by refocusing their attention on the problem at hand. Build on what they know to move forward.
 * It’s okay to disagree. Stress the importance of considering different approaches and viewpoints. Remind girls of the importance of using solid evidence when making a claim. Consensus is not always necessary, but listening is important.

7. Girls benefit from relationships with role models and mentors. (Liston, et al., 2008; Evans, et al., 1995) More resources: (pbs.org/teachers/scigirls)
 * Invite guest speakers from all levels, including high school, undergraduate and graduate students along with professional scientists.
 * Invite guest scientists to help lead an activity. If you are unsure of their comfort level working with children, pair them with other educators or leaders.
 * Spotlight women who work on the subjects you are studying.
 * If you can not get someone live, show videos of female scientists. Use SciGirls videos or DragonflyTV’s Scientist Profiles (pbskids.org/dragonflytv/scientists).
 * Use SciGirls videos to showcase peers as role models. The girls in each episode can inspire others on similar projects.
 * Encourage mentor pairings.
 * Ask your girls to invite a scientist they know to visit the group.

Related Links http://www.ngcproject.org/engaging-girls-stem http://www.ngcproject.org/event/scigirls-seven-strategies-engage-girls-stem