The Cloak of Equality in STEM Education: Gender Differences in Secondary Science Expectations, Higher Education, and Labor Market Participation

• In Event: Roundtable Session 27
  In Roundtable Session: Challenges in Global Classrooms

Abstract

In spite of the well-documented gendered inequality in STEM that both exists and persists in schools around the world, there is evidence that suggests progress towards gender parity in education is taking place (Ramirez & Wotipka, 2001). This gender egalitarian mask, or “cloak of equality” (Benschop, 1996), suggests that although gender parity in STEM access, achievement and opportunity may exist, girls and women are still not equal in terms of STEM participation in school, higher education or the labor market (Wiseman, 2008). This study introduces a new conceptual and empirical treatment of gender inequality in STEM education by measuring gender differences in the alignment of students’ science expectations in secondary education to expectations for higher education and labor market participation.

Authors

• Emily Anderson, The Pennsylvania State University

• Alexander W. Wiseman, Lehigh University