Why Dont Girls Choose Science :: essays papers

why Dont Girls Choose ScienceIssues Essay Why Dont Girls Choose Science? In South Australia in 1983 less than one-third of students studying physics at matriculation take were girls (Robottom, 1986). Sixteen years later, in 1999, girls still only made up 35% of students studying physics at the matriculation level (SSABSA, 1999). contempt solely the advances for women in modern society it seems that there is still an anesthetise of concern in that of girls participation and achievement in experience. Adamson, Foster, Roark & Reed (1998) suggests that the gender gap in science appears to widen with development so practic anyy so that there is concern that women are being underrepresented in both(prenominal) science fields. It is suggested that due to the role science and technology plays in all of our lives today it is not only a concern that women are confining their career options, but also that they are not getting the opportunity to take part in the planning and de cision-making processes that occur in areas which dissemble all citizens (Johnston, 1984). Indeed, Andre, Whigham, Hendrickson & Chambers (1999), rush found that secondary school girls have lower persistence and enrolment in the corporeal science pipeline, which of anatomy leads to women having lower participation in physical science careers.Recently OBrien, Martinez-Pons & Kopala (1999) reported that gender could directly predict students career interests in the science and engineering fields, leaving no question as to whether gender was an liberate when choosing science subject. It is thought that the critical moment for girls arises when they have a quality as to whether to do science or not (Robottom, 1986) and it is at this focalise the gender differences really become noticeable. Studies have revealed that girls were choosing to do language, arts or biology, whereas boys were choosing to do physical science courses (Farenga & Joyce, 1999) and it seems that there is no b iological rear end that can account for this low achievement and representation of girls in physical science (Johnston, 1984).This viewed in the light of the fact that it has been shown that the school plays a major(ip) role in the performance and attitudes of girls to science (Johnston, 1984) must prompt all teachers to examine what they may be doing to contribute to this problem and what they may be able to do to encourage girls to become involved in science, curiously the physical sciences.