Action: “We will work with early learning providers and schools from June 2018 to help them recognise and address unconscious bias and gender stereotyping and tackle inequity. This will include the development and delivery of new professional learning programmes on equity in STEM for practitioners. We will seek to embed good practice from the successful Institute of Physics Improving Gender Balance project across all schools by 2022. We will create a dedicated resource to lead, manage and support this work and will involve equalities experts in the third sector.” STEM Education and Training Strategy for Scotland.
About the event
Register now to attend the launch event for the new phase of the Improving Gender Balance in Scotland Programme. This event will be opened by Shirley–Anne Somerville MSP, Minister for Further Education, Higher Education and Science, and will run from 10:00 to 15:30 on Thursday 7 June 2018 in the COSLA Conference Centre, 19 Haymarket Yards, Edinburgh EH12 5BH.
The focus of the day will be to launch the exciting new phase of the Improving Gender Balance Programme in Scotland. This work will progress the National STEM Education and Training Strategy action to challenge inequality by addressing unconscious bias and gender stereotyping in all early learning and childcare settings and schools.
Attendees will also have the opportunity to hear about the innovative partnership involving Skills Development Scotland, Institute of Physics and Education Scotland that led to the establishment of the Improving Gender Balance Pilot Programme in Scotland in 2015. The partnership engaged six school clusters in Glasgow, Fife, North Ayrshire, South Ayrshire and West Lothian to develop practical approaches to tackling gender stereotypes and promoting gender balance in early learning, primary and secondary settings.
Learners and staff involved in the pilot programme will share with participants the experiences, approaches and strategies they developed to tackle gender stereotypes in relation to STEM subjects and careers and to promote whole school, centre and cluster approaches to gender equality. The findings of the pilot evaluation will be shared with attendees and programme partners also reflecting on the learning from this important work.
The STEM Strategy action is ambitious and will involve a concerted effort to promote effective practice and to address deeply-held cultural beliefs and norms. The success of this work going forward will very much depend on the strength of the partnership working between government agencies, Regional Improvement Collaboratives, local authorities, third sector organisations and also practitioners, families and young people themselves. The launch event will provide an important opportunity for all partners to reflect on the challenges and opportunities and to consider ways in which we can collectively work in partnership to promote gender balance and improve outcomes for all our learners.
Please complete our online registration to book your place: https://forms.education.gov.scot/s/Z2007/. Early registration is advised.
The programme for the day is available from the link below:
IGB Conference 7 June 2018 Programme
