Document Type

Article

Publication Date

Spring 2015

Abstract

There is an underrepresentation of women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) fields that influences society’s perception of women’s abilities in math and science. This study researches the implications of robotics on girls’ achievement abilities. Specifically studying the population at the high school of Mount Saint Joseph Academy, it searches for a correlation between members of the Firebirds Robotics Team and higher GPA scores, SAT scores, and percentages of having a major in STEM compared to students not on the team. Data was collected on the control group (non-robotics students) and experimental group (robotics students) using a survey. Analysis of the data showed a positive correlation between being a member of robotics and having high GPA, SAT scores, and majors in areas of STEM. Thus, robotics influences women’s achievement capacity. This study also found that women in robotics viewed women in STEM more positively than before joining the team. Some recommendations would be to continue the research on society’s perceptions of women in STEM, which have been outdated. To decrease the rate of attrition of women in STEM fields, a shift in society’s perceptions to a more positive view is needed. A well-respected view of women in those fields will encourage girls to enter STEM fields and change society’s stereotyped image of them. One way to do this is to continue after-school programs dedicated to guiding students interested in STEM, such as robotics.

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