Inspira STEAM: breaking the confidence gap with female roles

• Autores: Mariluz Guenaga Gómez , Lorena Fernández Álvarez
• Localización: Investigaciones feministas, ISSN 2171-6080, Vol. 11, Nº. 2, 2020 (Ejemplar dedicado a: Metodologías Feministas: nuevas perspectivas), págs. 273-286
• Idioma: inglés
• DOI: 10.5209/infe.65836
• Títulos paralelos:
  • Inspira STEAM: rompiendo la brecha de confianza con roles femeninos
• Enlaces
  • Texto completo
• Dialnet Métricas: 2 Citas
• Resumen
  • español

    Seguir una carrera STEAM para las mujeres puede compararse con una tubería con fugas, que se filtra de tantas maneras que, al final, se vacía antes de llegar a posiciones profesionales de liderazgo. Sin embargo, incluso antes, las niñas no optan por los estudios STEAM, y una de las principales razones es su falta de confianza: tanto la confianza en sí mismas como la confianza en otras personas. Las niñas ven el potencial de las mujeres en muchos campos, pero cuando se les pregunta directamente, no se ven capaces de ser buenas científicas o tecnólogas. Esta falta de confianza es lo que encontramos en el proyecto Inspira STEAM, cuyo objetivo es aumentar el interés de las chicas por las STEAM en educación primaria, a través de seis sesiones de una hora de duración en horario lectivo y promover las carreras científicas y tecnológicas a través de la mentoría en grupo llevada a cabo por mujeres profesionales STEAM como modelos de referencia. Las mentoras reciben una formación sobre la metodología, la perspectiva de género y los materiales desarrollados para las sesiones. Después de completer el programa, las chicas, chicos y mentoras completan un cuestionario sobre su experiencia. Los resultados muestran una gran satisfacción de los/las participantes en el programa, pero una menor confianza de las mentoras en su desempeño. También, las chicas muestran una gran confianza en lo que las mujeres pueden alcanzar, pero no tanta en lo que ellas, personalmente, pueden lograr en relación a la ciencia y la tecnología.  Estos resultados no podrían ser más relevantes para entender la brecha de confianza y averiguar cómo cerrarla.

  • English

    Following women’s careers in STEAM can be compared to a leaking pipeline, which leaks in so many ways that, in the end, it is empty before it reaches leading professional positions. However, even before, girls do not opt for STEAM studies, and one of the main reasons is their lack of confidence: both self-confidence and trust in other people. Girls see the potential of women in many fields, but when asked directly, they do not see themselves as able to be good scientists or technologists. This lack of confidence is what we found in the Inspira STEAM project, aimed at increasing the interest in STEAM of girls in primary education and promoting scientific and technological careers.  The project consisted of six one-hour sessions following group mentoring methodology at school-hours carried out by female professionals in STEAM as close reference models. Mentors were trained in the methodology, gender perspective and materials developed for the sessions. After completing the program girls, boys and mentors completed a questionnaire about their experience. Results show great satisfaction of participants with the program but less self-confidence in the performance of mentors. Also, girls show high confidence in what women are able to achieve, but not so much in what they, personally, can achieve related to science and technology. These results have great relevance to understanding the confidence gap and figuring out how to close it.

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