AAUW Annual Conference GIRLS ON TRACK

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AAUW Annual ConferenceGIRLS ON TRACK

• SARAH B. BERENSON
• CRMSE
• NC STATE UNIVERSITY
• MEREDITH COLLEGE
• WAKE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
• NC DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION
• Sponsored in Part by the National Science
  Foundation

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INTRODUCTION

• Prologue A Fable
• Research Finding about Girls
• Audience Strategies for Girls from Research
  Findings
• Girls on Track Program
• Epilogue A News Story

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A FABLE

• WHO IS RESPONSIBLE?
• DUKE?
• DUCHESS?
• GATE KEEPER?

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NATIONAL PROBLEM

• UNDER-REPRESENTATION OF WOMEN IN SCIENCE,
  TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATHEMATICS CAREERS.
• AMERICAN WORK FORCE
• SECURITY ISSUES

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SOCIAL PROBLEM

• Women earn 70 - 78 of Male Salaries
• Childrens socio-economic status
• Waste of human resources

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ONE SOLUTION

• If girls stay on the fast math track into college
  they will be prepared to major in STEM careers.

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GIRLS ON TRACK PROGRAM

• FUNDED BY THE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
• 1-WEEK TEACHER/COUSELORS WORKSHOP
• 2-WEEK SUMMER CAMP FOR GIRLS
• FALL TUTORING
• SPRING MENTORING

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GIRLS INTERESTS

• PEOPLE
• SOCIAL ISSUES
• COMMUNICATIONS

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RESEARCH FINDINGS

• Proportional Reasoning is HIGHLY correlated with
  high test scores in Algebra 1
• 60 miles in 1 hour and traveling at a constant
  rate, how many hours to travel 600 miles?

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RESEARCH FINDINGS

• Girls have very high expectations for themselves
• Girls work hard to achieve expectations
• Girls perceive teacher quality as essential to
  their success
• Girls are supported by parents and teachers when
  learning is difficult

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RESEARCH FINDINGS

• Girls are more confident, interested, and
  motivated to study math than teachers and
  counselors think they are.
• Tchrs/Counselors Girls
• mean sd mean sd
• Interest 19.86 2.42 23.37 3.75
• Motivation 19.05 2.29 22.37 3.83
• Confidence 19.45 2.37 22.87 4.03

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SUMMER CAMP

• Teams of 6 2 camp counselors
• Group vs Individual Efforts)
• Sports Algebra
• (Need to have Fun)
• Community Problems
• Math is Relevant/Useful

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SUMMER CAMP

• Computer Lab Time
• Creative Expression and Useful Tools
• Team Presentations
• Confidence before Audience
• Career Speakers
• Information
• Peer Assertiveness
• Confidence in School

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A NEWS STORY

• WHO IS RESPONSIBLE?
• HUSBAND
• WIFE
• FRIEND