STEM Subjects and Gender Inequality: Secondary Education Research

The research study focuses on girls’ participation in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) courses and the challenges they face, according to teachers’ views in Greece. This qualitative research sample consists of 12 teachers from the General Senior High School of Moires, of which 5 are male teachers and 7 female teachers. The findings indicate that, according to the teachers, girls often show a high level of interest in these courses, however, constraints such as gender stereotypes, limited female representation in science and lack of self-confidence still discourage their participation. Teachers, regardless of gender, try to overcome these difficulties through positive feedback, building an inclusive environment and encouraging the participation of all male and female students. In addition, it is stressed that raising parental awareness is of utmost importance, as family perceptions can potentially influence girls’ educational and career choices. The findings imply that although differences in boys’ and girls’ performance are not statistically significant, social and cultural factors largely shape girls’ career aspirations. Hence, strengthening girls’ self- confidence with inserting examples of female scientists into the school curriculum and promoting educational methods that highlight equal opportunities are proposed. The implementation of such practices can substantially enhance gender equality and improve the participation of all students in STEM.