Determining the STEM Discipline Identities of Female Students

Abstract

Different meanings can be attributed to STEM education, which is the trend approach of recent years, by societies and individuals. In order to understand the STEM approach in the mind of the individual, it is necessary to learn the perspective of STEM education or STEM disciplines. It is necessary to determine the STEM identity of female individuals, especially because of the differences between men and women who prefer STEM professions or their perspectives on STEM disciplines. In this research, it is aimed to determine the identity of the disciplines of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics in female individuals. Within the scope of this aim, 125 female students studying child development were reached. Data were collected online with a short-answer form. In this form, the reasons for being a scientist, technologist, engineer or mathematician were asked. As a result of the analysis of the data, it is understood that almost half of the participants stated that they wanted to be scientists and engineers, and nearly half of them stated that they could be technology experts. In addition, it was determined that very few of them believed that they could be mathematicians. When the reasons for these data are examined, it is understood that they determine their identities in these disciplines due to reasons such as love, interest, curiosity, research, intelligence, willingness, and using their imagination. Likewise, it is understood that they cannot choose these disciplines due to reasons such as fear, anxiety, competence and unwillingness.