Journal of Research in Science, Mathematics and Technology Education

Is the STEM Gender Gap Closing?

Anton V. Dubrovskiy 1 * ,
Susan Broadway 2,
Rebecca Weber 2,
Diana Mason 2,
Ben Jang 3,
Blain Mamiya 4,
Cynthia B. Powell 5,
G. Robert Shelton 6,
Deborah Rush Walker 7,
Vickie M. Williamson 6,
Adrian Villalta-Cerdas 8
1 University of Houston–Clear Lake2 University of North Texas3 Texas A&M University-Commerce4 Texas State University5 Abilene Christian University6 Texas A&M University7 University of Texas at Austin8 Sam Houston State University* Corresponding Author
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Journal of Research in Science, Mathematics and Technology Education, Volume 5, Issue 1, January 2022, pp. 47-68
OPEN ACCESS VIEWS: 2193 DOWNLOADS: 1122 Publication date: 15 Jan 2022
ABSTRACT
The Networking for Science Advancement (NSA) team's institutions consist of nine universities located in one large southwestern US state. This study evaluated students enrolled from Spring 2017 to Fall 2019 in firstand second-semester general chemistry. Over 90% of the students (n = 6,694) have been exposed to a secondary school isomorphic curriculum. The population studied, Chem I (n = 4,619) and Chem II (n = 2,075), met entry-level criteria and are therefore expected to succeed (i.e., earn grades of A, B or C). This study's focus is to disaggregate data based on binary gender (M/F) in hopes of revealing patterns that might remain hidden when studying an undivided population. In Chem I, the female population was 59.6% and increased to 64.5% for Chem II. The 15- min., diagnostic Math-Up Skills Test’s (MUST) scores identified about half of all students who were unsuccessful (grades of D and F). Results from the study support that males enter Chem I and II with better automaticity skills (what can be done without using a calculator) than females. However, females outperformed males on course averages in Chem I but not Chem II. Our data provide supporting evidence that the gender gap may be closing.
KEYWORDS
Arithmetic Automaticity Skills, Diagnostic Assessment, Diversity Issues, Gender, General Chemistry.
CITATION (APA)
Dubrovskiy, A. V., Broadway, S., Weber, R., Mason, D., Jang, B., Mamiya, B., Powell, C. B., Shelton, G. R., Walker, D. R., Williamson, V. M., & Villalta-Cerdas, A. (2022). Is the STEM Gender Gap Closing?. Journal of Research in Science, Mathematics and Technology Education, 5(1), 47-68. https://doi.org/10.31756/jrsmte.512
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