Date of Award
2025
Document Type
Open Access Dissertation
Department
Educational Studies
First Advisor
Elizabeth Currin
Abstract
Women are underrepresented in STEM professions despite initiatives to encourage young women to pursue these financially rewarding careers. Studies show this divide is not due to inability or lack of female participation in higher education, as women tend to outscore their male counterparts on standardized tests and make up approximately 59% of the postsecondary student population. Rather, the disconnect in the high school-to-college STEM pipeline for young women seems to center on mathematics. In response, this action research study focused on addressing societal influence and mathematical confidence and interest using a constructivist approach in an honors Algebra 2 class.Hands-on activities, directed research, and embedded questioning in lessons that centered on STEM professions and real-world applications of mathematics exposed students to more information about the availability of different vocations and the education needed to pursue these options. Surveys, interviews, and observation yielded data to assess the intervention’s impact. Analysis shows the hands-on activities increased the young women’s interest and confidence in mathematical ability. The interview data suggest the intervention also increased their awareness of vocational opportunities, but did little to counter parental and other societal influences. Additional research could build on these conclusions by exploring more intentional curriculum choices and focusing more on women specifically in mathematics.
Rights
© 2025, Lisa Galbreath Neaton Black
Recommended Citation
Black, L. G.(2025). Influence, Confidence, and Interest in Mathematics: The Route to Increasing Female Participation in STEM. (Doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from https://scholarcommons.sc.edu/etd/8242