Combating the Chilly Climate of the Sciences: Examining the Efficacy of All-Girls Schools in Increasing Female Participation in STEM

Over the last several decades, female students’ interest, participation, and achievement levels in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) have been on the rise. However, there is still a significant gender gap in education. My qualitative research study investigates the reasons as to why female students perform better in all-girls learning environments. The purpose of my study is to answer the following overall research question by interviewing four mathematics and science teachers from two different all-girls schools in the Greater Toronto Area: “How are all girls schools effective in stimulating girls' interest, participation, and self-confidence in non-traditional fields of study?