Scientist role models in the classroom: how important is gender matching?

ABSTRACT

Gender-matched role models are often proposed as a mechanism to increase identification with science among girls, with the ultimate aim of broadening participation in science. While there is a great deal of evidence suggesting that role models can be effective, there is mixed support in the literature for the importance of gender matching. We used the Eccles Expectancy Value model as a framework to explore how female science role models impact a suite of factors that might predict future career choice among elementary students. We predicted that impacts of female scientist role models would be more pronounced among girls than among boys, as such role models have the potential to normalise what is often perceived as a gender-deviant role. Using a mixed-methods approach, we found that ideas about scientists, self-concept towards science, and level of science participation changed equally across both genders, contrary to our prediction. Our results suggest that engaging in authentic science and viewing the female scientist as personable were keys to changes among students, rather than gender matching between the role model and student. These results imply that scientists in the schools programmes should focus on preparing the visiting scientists in these areas.

KEYWORDS:

• Gender
• equity
• role models

Acknowledgements

We thank the partner teachers of the female scientists for working with us to conduct the study in their classrooms. We also thank Suzanne Perin and the two anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments that greatly improved the manuscript.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Science Foundation under [grant number DGE-0948029].