Empowering Girls in STEM Education for a Brighter Future

1. Girls To Science Technology Engineering & Mathematics Dr. Ronit Ashkenazy Pedagogical manager Encouraging girls to choose Advanced Level Science and Technologystudies

2. Amal Group includes schools in the Jewish, Bedouin, Arab (Moslem and Christian), Druze communities, secular and orthodox alike 42- multidisciplinary schools 29- junior high schools 29- technological and Industrial schools 14- two year colleges for technicians and practical engineers 14 -vocational training colleges for adults

3. Learning through experience, research and integrating advanced tools

4. Pedagogic fitting to the student's potential Multi-disciplinary schools. Matching the spirit of the times: Selecting a combination of arts, culture, science and technology tracks. Developing creativity, Combining an emotional solutions, values and social Skills.

5. Goals Raising the extent to which girls choose to study Scientific and/or technological subjects such as Physics, electronics, electricity, computer sciences and robotics on a secondary school level.

6. National Importance Israel's economic future is based on its technological and Scientific capability. There is a growing need for Science and Engineering Graduates. It is desirable to develop and utilize the latent potential amongst girls and women who compromise 50% of the population.

7. Individual importance Choice of Profession influences our future earning power . • Hi-tech is a very profitable sector into which advanced level Mathematics, physics and engineering graduates integrate well. • Girls who are graduates of these courses will encounter career opportunities and integrate successfully into the business world.

8. Hi-tech professions are also very suited to girls. you don’t need any physical power. In this field there is less discrimination between men and women ,the salaries women and men get are the same. International high tech companies begin to build creative ways to family consideration work pathes

9. Information and publicity for school principals, science and technology teachers, parents and students. We hold meetings workshops and lectures for the school principals, science and technology teachers, students and parents.We present them with the data available on the choice of science and technology studies amongst girls as compared to the boys, and bring them the research findings of the reasons behind the data, and what can be done about it, for example: Modes of Action

10. Give meaningful feedback to both girls and boys: Raise expectations amongst the girls Girls prefer verbal feedback Allow equal time for boys and girls to answer questions

11. ? ? ? Changing Stereotypes

12. Modes of Action Implementation of teaching/learning/evaluation methods suited to girls. Variation of instructional strategies. Exposure of leading science and technology inspectors/instructors and teachers to the different learning styles of girls and boys. Adaptation of methods of teaching/learning/evaluation

13. Modes of Action We held a course which dealt for teaching strategies in Physics, where the emphasis was placed on teaching strategies which strengthened understanding. made use of previous knowledge to build new knowledge, and other strategies which have been proved to narrow the gap between boys and girls.

14. Exposing girls to role models Meetings with successful woman from the fields of science and technologyin the academic and industrial world: Women scientists, industrialists and students meet up with high school students (girls)who chose to study advanced level science or engineering courses. Integration of films and websites.

15. Integration of everyday subjects, relevant to both sexes, into the learning context. A lecture on the subject of Physics and Music

16. Lowering the level of competitiveness in the class Increased use of team work in learning activities Integration of tests which require answers including extensive verbal explanations . Integration of alternative evaluation, basing the evaluation on implementation of a final project in addition to the test. Cooperative Learning

17. Exposing the girls to exciting challenges, fields of interest and activities in the sciences and technologies. Hands-on field trips in museums, research institutes and industrial centers. . Specials program at science museums as preparation for the selection process, where they are exposed to scientific subjects which are not taught at school, or to an interesting way of learning. For example: Physics and Music, Fractals, robotics….

18. Increasing the belief of girls in their ability to succeed,Encouraging them to cope with those subjects,Holding workshops for the empowerment of girls, where they discuss the different aspects of the ability to succeed: belief in themselves and the courage to take risks in tests,to answer in class even if you are not 100% sure that your answer is correct, to cope with a grade which is lower than what you expected

19. Holding workshops disscussing real questions girls have about their career Like how they can combine career and family in general and a career in the scientific or technological fields in particular.

20. Girls To Science Technology Engineering & Mathematics Dr. Ronit Ashkenazy Pedagogical manager Thank you