Women have made incredible contributions to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), yet they remain underrepresented in these fields. Awareness days dedicated to women and girls, such as International Women’s Day and Ada Lovelace Day, are important in highlighting achievements, addressing gender disparities and inspiring future generations.
Encouraging Girls to Pursue STEM Careers
A 2024 press release from the IET highlights the following:
- “women are not encouraged to think about STEM careers in school (45%) and women get put off by how male dominated the industry is (32%)”
- “when asked to name a woman – past or present – in STEM, only 8% could name any women who have made significant contributions to STEM fields”
- “women make up 29.4% of the STEM workforce”
These stark figures, should serve as a catalyst to create opportunities for amplifying positive messages about women in STEM, perhaps through hosting events, sharing success stories and running hands-on activities to develop curiosity and confidence in young women.
A Lasting Impact
While a single awareness day won’t change the gender gap overnight, its ripple effects can be long-lasting. As educators we have a unique opportunity to highlight gender equality and the contributions of women and girls through various observances throughout the year.
The following key dates can be embedded into Computing lessons and will help with yearlong awareness and celebration.
International Day of Women and Girls in Science – 11th February, on this day, discuss the historical and current contributions of women in computer science. Encourage pupils to research female pioneers like Ada Lovelace or modern leaders in tech. The website Archives of IT has information on modern pioneers.
Women’s History Month – throughout the month of March, integrate stories of women’s contributions to technology into the curriculum. Encourage learners to present biographies on notable women in STEM subjects.
International Women’s Day (IWD) – 8th March, continuing in March, each IWD is themed. Using the theme, host class debates on the importance of gender diversity in technology. Encourage pupils to explore and present on organisations promoting women in tech, such as We are Tech Women, Girls Who Code, etc.
Girls in ICT Day – Fourth Thursday in April, provides another opportunity to highlight career opportunities in Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) for women. This can be run cross curricular, highlighting tech in all subject areas.
National Women in Engineering Day – 23rd June, celebrating this day, you can invite speakers and female engineers visit your school to talk about their experiences. Also, you can organise hands-on activities that that will pique and inspire interest among all pupils.
Women’s Equality Day – 26th August, if you have to set summer activities to prevent a learning gap developing over the summer holidays, this idea may help, to encourage pupils to examine the evolution of women’s rights with a focus on the tech industry. Then, they can analyse data on gender representation in tech fields and suggest strategies for improvement.
International Day of the Girl Child – 11th October, think back to the headline figures shared earlier in this article. These can be shared with pupils, and they can be encouraged to discuss the challenges girls face in accessing STEM education.
Ada Lovelace Day – Second Tuesday of October, encourage pupils to learn about Ada Lovelace’s contributions as the first computer programmer, and then participate in national activities run to celebrate Ada’s work.
International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women – 25th November, this can be incorporated into lesson, through discussing the role of technology in promoting safety and support for women. Engage pupils in developing app prototypes or digital campaigns that address issues related to women’s safety. Additionally, use news articles that address how tech has been used in harmful ways against women. Encourage pupils to think about legislation that may be required.
My final thoughts
Every time we celebrate an awareness day, we take a step closer to a world where gender is not a barrier to success anywhere and also within STEM.
Through promoting opportunities, sharing stories and challenging biases, we all play a part in creating a more diverse and innovative future, as educators we can help towards building more inclusive environments that celebrate and encourage women, while linking the days with technology and Computing.