How Do We Get (and Keep) More Girls in STEM?

Presented by Dr. Azadeh Jamalian, Adjunct Assistant Professor at Teachers College, Columbia University, Head of Education Strategy at littleBits
Sponsored by littleBits Education

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Seventy-four percent of girls in middle school are interested in STEM but only 18% of computer science graduates are female. This data is a great indication that gender gap in technical fields is not about girls’ lack of interest in STEM subjects—it’s about losing that interest due to lack of opportunities to engage in meaningful STEM activities. Early STEM experiences matter and designing these experiences so that they’d be accessible to every student, girls and boys, should be a high priority for every educational institute.

In this edWebinar, Dr. Azi Jamalian, Head of Education Strategy at littleBits, discusses the need for creativity, collaboration, communication, and critical thinking skills, and how we can engage girls and boys in STEM through invention-based learning.

Tech and curriculum directors, principals, librarians, and teachers for grades three to eight will benefit from attending this session. Learn actionable strategies for making their STEM programs accessible, meaningful, and effective for all students.

About the Presenter
Azadeh (Azi) Jamalian, PhD is the head of education strategy at littleBits, an award-winning platform of easy-to-use electronic building blocks that is empowering kids everywhere to create inventions, large and small. Dr. Jamalian has a PhD in cognitive studies in education from Teachers College Columbia University, and has published journal articles and book chapters on a broad range of topics such as designing learning platforms for children, emerging educational tech, game design, mathematical education, and cognition. Dr. Jamalian has received numerous awards including the IES Prize for Excellence in Research on Cognition and Student Learning, and the Cooney Center’s Certificate of Innovation in Children’s Learning.

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littleBits makes technology kits that are fun, easy-to-use, and infinitely creative. The kits are composed of electronic building blocks that are color-coded, magnetic, and make complex technology simple and fun. Together they’re interchangeable in millions of different ways to empower kids to invent anything – from a sibling alarm, to a wireless robot, to a digital instrument.