In China’s post-secondary institutions, female students are underrepresented in the STEM fields. Unfortunately, there is limited research on this phenomenon in China. Thus, to address this, it is important to ensure that girls become more aware of the variety of opportunities for advanced educational development. To this end, the proposed study seeks to understand the gender gap in STEM enrollment in China so as to identify the reasons for the STEM gap in China and identify ways that it can be addressed. Thus, it is critical to determine the factors that shape this phenomenon.
The study will be guided by two key research questions:
- How have educational institutions (e.g., school, extracurricular classes, private educational institutions) shaped female Chinese students' perceptions of their STEM abilities?
- What social and cultural factors, influences, and expectations are given consideration by female Chinese students when deciding whether to enroll in STEM programs and how do they shape this decision?
This issue will be investigated by analyzing individuals’ experiences with peers, teachers, and family members while exploring social issues such as gender stereotypes. The proposed study will use a qualitative model, which is ideal for investigating individuals/groups' meaning-making with regard to social phenomena (Creswell, 2014). Because the current study is exploring a social/political issue that may involve participants’ private and personal experiences, one-on-one interviews will be used to provide privacy. The data collected from the participants will be coded and compared to identify trends and inform future research. It will likewise ideally raise awareness of some barriers that girls experience with respect to STEM to raise teachers' and parents’ awareness of how they can proactively avoid creating barriers for young girls and women who may be interested in STEM.
This study is now completed
Reference:
Creswell. J. (2014). Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches. Fourth Edition. P.183-209. Sage Publication