WEBVTT

00:00:01.116 --> 00:00:02.496
[Music] Welcome to the overview

00:00:02.496 --> 00:00:05.576
on sparking girls' interest
in math and science.

00:00:07.546 --> 00:00:10.016
Lisa's bored in her physics class.

00:00:10.016 --> 00:00:11.876
Even though she's getting a good grade,

00:00:11.876 --> 00:00:15.326
she hates memorizing all
the detailed science facts,

00:00:15.386 --> 00:00:17.746
facts that seem disconnected
from her real life

00:00:17.746 --> 00:00:20.376
and her favorite hobby-- drawing.

00:00:20.376 --> 00:00:24.276
Her teacher, Mr. Diaz, can tell
that Lisa doesn't like science

00:00:24.276 --> 00:00:27.046
and that other girls in his
class feel the same way.

00:00:27.046 --> 00:00:29.216
He's tried telling them
how important it is,

00:00:29.216 --> 00:00:31.476
but he just can't seem
to get through to them.

00:00:31.646 --> 00:00:34.356
The boys, on the other
hand, love his class!

00:00:34.356 --> 00:00:38.266
Mr. Diaz is experiencing a common
problem faced by many teachers

00:00:38.266 --> 00:00:41.436
and students; boys consistently
show greater interest

00:00:41.436 --> 00:00:43.826
in math and science than girls.

00:00:43.826 --> 00:00:48.056
As a result, boys take more math and
science in high school and college,

00:00:48.056 --> 00:00:51.206
and they're more likely to
engage in scientific, technical,

00:00:51.206 --> 00:00:53.796
and mechanical activities
on their own time.

00:00:53.796 --> 00:00:58.236
As a result, women are underrepresented
in careers that heavily rely on math

00:00:58.236 --> 00:01:00.006
and science, such as engineering,

00:01:00.006 --> 00:01:03.026
computer science, and
scientific research.

00:01:03.706 --> 00:01:05.686
So how can we reverse this trend

00:01:05.686 --> 00:01:08.826
and get more girls interested
in math and science?

00:01:08.826 --> 00:01:11.916
It starts by sparking their curiosity...

00:01:11.916 --> 00:01:14.766
First, let's understand
the basic components

00:01:14.766 --> 00:01:17.476
of academic interest
and why it's important.

00:01:18.286 --> 00:01:21.486
It's helpful to think about
interest as a continuum.

00:01:21.486 --> 00:01:24.246
On one end is "situational interest"--

00:01:24.246 --> 00:01:27.276
the interest a person has in
the current task they're doing.

00:01:27.276 --> 00:01:31.226
On the other end is "long-term
interest," which is their interest

00:01:31.226 --> 00:01:35.276
in subjects, courses, and
career choices over time.

00:01:35.276 --> 00:01:39.036
Situational interest is a
temporary feeling of curiosity.

00:01:39.036 --> 00:01:43.226
It arises spontaneously in response
to specific learning experiences

00:01:43.226 --> 00:01:46.376
and can fluctuate greatly
from day to day.

00:01:46.376 --> 00:01:48.616
Long-term interest is
a stable preference

00:01:48.616 --> 00:01:50.876
for activities in a particular field.

00:01:50.876 --> 00:01:53.196
It extends beyond the
moment and is important

00:01:53.196 --> 00:01:55.616
to a person throughout their life.

00:01:55.616 --> 00:01:58.816
People typically develop
situational interest first.

00:01:58.816 --> 00:02:02.436
They find a particular activity or
lesson interesting, but their interest

00:02:02.436 --> 00:02:06.746
in math or science as a whole may
be minimal or fluctuate over time.

00:02:06.746 --> 00:02:10.826
However, as more and more
experiences spark situational interest,

00:02:10.826 --> 00:02:14.126
it can evolve into a
long-term personal interest.

00:02:14.126 --> 00:02:19.256
The key to cultivating students' long
term interest in math and science is

00:02:19.256 --> 00:02:22.186
to develop engaging educational
activities that spark

00:02:22.186 --> 00:02:24.856
and build upon their
situational interest.

00:02:24.856 --> 00:02:28.796
The more frequent and positive these
activities are, the more likely it is

00:02:28.796 --> 00:02:32.386
that students will develop
long-term interest in these areas.

00:02:32.786 --> 00:02:35.876
But how does interest
affect achievement?

00:02:35.876 --> 00:02:40.006
Research shows that providing students
with engaging and fun activities as part

00:02:40.006 --> 00:02:44.196
of regular instruction leads to
improved math skills and test scores.

00:02:44.196 --> 00:02:47.786
The more interested students are in a
subject, the more involved they become

00:02:47.786 --> 00:02:51.646
in their assignments-- putting greater
effort into their studies and engaging

00:02:51.646 --> 00:02:53.516
in deeper levels of thinking.

00:02:53.576 --> 00:02:56.866
And as interest moves from
situational to long-term,

00:02:56.866 --> 00:03:01.186
students actively seek opportunities
to learn more outside the classroom--

00:03:01.186 --> 00:03:05.106
from books, games, media,
and after-school clubs.

00:03:05.106 --> 00:03:08.316
In particular, girls with higher
levels of interest in math

00:03:08.316 --> 00:03:11.696
and science are more likely to
take on additional challenges,

00:03:11.696 --> 00:03:15.586
such as elective courses, in
order to satisfy their curiosity.

00:03:16.286 --> 00:03:20.116
What kinds of activities are
most likely to spark interest?

00:03:20.116 --> 00:03:23.806
Teachers can make math or science more
interesting by putting the material

00:03:23.806 --> 00:03:28.176
into a meaningful and relevant context--
going beyond traditional instruction

00:03:28.176 --> 00:03:31.986
to make the learning process
more interactive and engaging.

00:03:31.986 --> 00:03:36.116
For example, teachers can help students
explore how math and science relate

00:03:36.116 --> 00:03:40.146
to real world topics, like protecting
the environment, driving safely,

00:03:40.146 --> 00:03:42.656
and inventing new entertainment devices.

00:03:43.356 --> 00:03:46.676
Also, students often find
lessons more meaningful

00:03:46.676 --> 00:03:48.666
if they know why it's important:

00:03:48.666 --> 00:03:51.606
How do scientists use this
knowledge in the real world?

00:03:51.616 --> 00:03:55.306
How are these concepts used every
day by various professionals?

00:03:55.306 --> 00:03:58.606
How does this knowledge improve
the quality of our lives?

00:03:58.606 --> 00:04:02.096
Students also need to
personally connect with the topic.

00:04:02.096 --> 00:04:05.606
This can be as simple as using
students' names in word problems

00:04:05.606 --> 00:04:09.486
or having students come up with their
own examples of how concepts apply

00:04:09.486 --> 00:04:11.776
to their specific hobbies and interests.

00:04:11.776 --> 00:04:15.406
Lastly, teachers should
use hands-on projects

00:04:15.406 --> 00:04:19.286
to go beyond traditional textbook
and teacher-directed instruction.

00:04:19.286 --> 00:04:21.745
Projects can be especially
engaging if they: -

00:04:21.745 --> 00:04:25.476
use technology such as computer
simulations, lab equipment,

00:04:25.476 --> 00:04:30.476
and hands-on materials - stimulate the
imagination - allow students a choice

00:04:30.476 --> 00:04:33.966
of projects that relate to their
personal hobbies or strengths -

00:04:33.966 --> 00:04:37.376
encourage group work where students
can build on each other's strengths

00:04:37.376 --> 00:04:39.806
and interests - and give students access

00:04:39.806 --> 00:04:42.646
to a wide variety of
additional resources.

00:04:42.646 --> 00:04:46.846
The more books, websites, videos,
and other resources you provide,

00:04:46.846 --> 00:04:50.246
the more likely a student will
discover something of interest.

00:04:50.246 --> 00:04:55.236
But remember that projects, however
fun they may be, need to relate closely

00:04:55.236 --> 00:04:57.336
to the learning objectives of the class.

00:04:58.336 --> 00:05:02.166
Going beyond traditional instruction
requires resources and support

00:05:02.166 --> 00:05:04.416
that may not be available
in every school.

00:05:04.416 --> 00:05:07.286
Teachers should take advantage of
professional development events

00:05:07.286 --> 00:05:10.476
and resources provided by
university outreach programs,

00:05:10.476 --> 00:05:13.526
professional organizations,
and regional resource centers

00:05:13.526 --> 00:05:15.676
that specialize in math and science.

00:05:15.676 --> 00:05:18.496
Some are even geared
specifically to girls.

00:05:18.496 --> 00:05:22.526
Also, be sure to promote special
after-school and summer programs,

00:05:22.526 --> 00:05:26.786
as well as regional and national
math- science competitions.

00:05:27.586 --> 00:05:31.826
A powerful way to develop student
interest in math and science is to talk

00:05:31.826 --> 00:05:34.196
about career opportunities
in the classroom.

00:05:34.196 --> 00:05:39.186
Sometimes this is as simple as
helping students see the direct link

00:05:39.186 --> 00:05:41.656
between classroom activities
and specific careers.

00:05:41.656 --> 00:05:45.066
Teachers can also share
examples of women working

00:05:45.066 --> 00:05:47.256
in male-dominated professions
and hold discussions

00:05:47.256 --> 00:05:51.146
that challenge students' perceptions
about careers that are "for men"

00:05:51.146 --> 00:05:53.986
versus careers that are "for women."

00:05:53.986 --> 00:05:57.126
Once students have identified
careers that interest them,

00:05:57.126 --> 00:06:00.086
teachers can help them find
information about those careers

00:06:00.086 --> 00:06:02.776
by providing online resources
and connecting them

00:06:02.776 --> 00:06:04.506
with role models or mentors.

00:06:05.606 --> 00:06:07.736
So can this make a difference?

00:06:07.766 --> 00:06:09.026
Absolutely.

00:06:09.026 --> 00:06:13.536
Sparking girls' interest in science and
math is key to their academic success

00:06:13.536 --> 00:06:16.486
as well as their career
aspirations in the scientific,

00:06:16.486 --> 00:06:18.666
technical, and engineering fields.

00:06:18.666 --> 00:06:22.996
As surprising as it may seem, these
small changes can make a big difference

00:06:22.996 --> 00:06:24.786
in a student's eagerness to learn

00:06:24.786 --> 00:06:28.626
and develop long-term interests
that can last lifetime.

00:06:29.146 --> 00:06:33.276
To learn more about ways to spark
students' curiosity in math and science,

00:06:33.276 --> 00:06:37.426
please explore the additional resources
on the Doing What Works website.