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Clever girls lack confidence in science and math (quotes Jonathan Osborne)

March 5, 2015
BBC
Women typically earn less than men in the United Kingdom, and a new study suggests that the gap is the result of different attitudes toward science and math. Jonathan Osborne explains that these have nothing to do with natural aptitude and are "entirely cultural."
By 
Sean Coughlan

Girls still lack confidence in pursuing high-paid careers in science and technology, even when their school results are as good or better than boys, says an international study.

The OECD has examined why girls' academic success does not translate into an economic advantage in work.

It found that career choices explain why women in developed countries are on average earning 15% less than men.

The OECD's Andreas Schleicher called for schools to raise girls' confidence. 

The study from the economic think-tank, using data from international Pisa tests in more than 60 countries in 2012, asks why girls' increasing success in education has not been followed by similar advantages in the labour market.

Career benefits

Mr Schleicher, the OECD's education director, argues that it is not "about men and women doing similar work for different pay, but about men and women pursuing different careers".

UK teenagers' confidence in maths

  • I often worry it will be difficult in maths classes: boys 39%; girls 56%
  • Nervous doing maths problems: boys 20%; girls 33% 
  • I worry I will get poor marks in maths: boys 49%; girls 66% 

Source: OECD

In particular, he says women are still "severely under-represented" in jobs related to science, technology, engineering and mathematics, which can be among the highest earning careers.

He says that "gender differences in self-confidence" could be the key difference. Even though girls might achieve better academic results, there is still a reluctance to apply for jobs.

There were also findings that parents were more likely to push boys towards careers in science and technology.

"We may have lost sight of important social and emotional dimensions of learning that may be far more predictive for the future life choices of children," said Mr Schleicher.

Cultural gap

In Pisa tests taken in the UK, girls did particularly badly in science compared with boys, with a much bigger gap than most countries.

But Michael Reiss, professor of science education at the UCL Institute of Education, said: "This is nothing to do with genetics. The explanation must be a cultural one."

Jonathan Osborne, professor of science education at Stanford University in the United States, also said there were no inherent differences in academic abilities between boys and girls and the "shocking disparities" in results must be "entirely cultural".

Jonathan Osborne is a professor at Stanford Graduate School of Education.

Read the full story at BBC.

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