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Public views on the gendering of mathematics and related careers: international comparisons

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Abstract

Mathematics continues to be an enabling discipline for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)-based university studies and related careers. Explanatory models for females’ underrepresentation in higher level mathematics and STEM-based courses comprise learner-related and environmental variables—including societal beliefs. Using Facebook to recruit participants, we explored if mathematics, science, and computing continue to be viewed as male domains. Responses were received from 784 people in 81 countries. As well as looking at the views of the world at large, responses from nine countries with at least 30 respondents—Canada, China, Egypt, India, Israel, Singapore, UAE, UK, and Australia—were examined in more detail. The results indicated that among those who held gender-stereotyped views (and many did not), mathematics, science, and computing were considered more suitable for males than for females.

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Notes

  1. In Table 2, and elsewhere in the article, we list Australia last as it was the first country from which data were collected; the other countries are listed in alphabetical order.

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  1. Faculty of Education, Monash University, Wellington Road, Victoria, 3800, Australia

    Helen Forgasz, Gilah Leder & Hazel Tan

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  1. Helen Forgasz
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  2. Gilah Leder
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Correspondence to Helen Forgasz.

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Forgasz, H., Leder, G. & Tan, H. Public views on the gendering of mathematics and related careers: international comparisons. Educ Stud Math 87, 369–388 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10649-014-9550-6

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