COPPERAS COVE, TX (April 18, 2023)— Women are underrepresented in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) careers, and this poses new challenges as the digital transformation grows at a rapid pace not just in the United States but worldwide.
Thirty-nine CCISD female students in grades 3-8 attended STEM Girl Day at the University of Texas-Austin thanks to funding from a $750,000 Department of Defense Education Activity grant that the district is utilizing over a 5-year span. The goal of the grant is to increase student math achievement by integrating coding and STEM activities into multiple areas of the curriculum.
CCISD Director of Digital Learning and Instruction Holly Landez said several of the sessions at UT STEM Girl Day were focused on coding concepts.
“Our main goal with this event is to promote STEM interest and exploration among one of our underrepresented groups. The students had literally hundreds of opportunities for them to explore stem concepts,” Landez said. “As the need to prepare students for future STEM careers increases exponentially, we aim to ensure that all students have opportunities to become inspired to learn more about these concepts.”
According to the American Association of University Women, only 28 percent of the workforce in STEM careers is women. Known as the STEM gender gap, men are majoring in STEM fields in college at a much higher rate than women, thus expanding even further the gap as compared to the number of women in STEM occupations.
House Creek Elementary third grade STEM teacher Thad Shumaker took several of his military-connected students on the field trip. He has already implemented a marble run experiment, that he witnessed at UT STEM Girl Day, with his students, adding that he and all of his students benefitted from the educational field trip.
“STEM activities often require working in teams and collaborating with others. STEM Girl Day provides opportunities for participants to learn the value of teamwork and communication in achieving a common goal,” Shumaker said. “STEM activities often require participants to identify and solve problems. STEM Girl Day helps develop critical thinking skills and problem-solving strategies that can be applied to real-world situations. It also provides an opportunity for participants to engage in hands-on activities, which can help them better understand the concepts being taught and encourage a love of learning. Finally, STEM Girl Day helps participants explore potential careers in STEM fields and learn about the many different paths they can take to achieve their goals. This helps inspire and motivate girls to pursue their interests in STEM and open up a world of opportunities for them in the future.”
CCISD’s 5-year DoDEA grant is in its fourth year. The school district plans to attend UT Girls STEM Day again in the grant’s final year in 2024.
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