Context/background ------------------------- An analysis of computer science shows a steady decrease in female graduates since 2000 that is particularly marked in high-income countries. While numerous reasons have been advanced to explain gender imbalance in STEM education and careers, the one BRIDGES aims at addressing is the issue of recognition. The BRIDGES approach ------------------------------ While numerous reasons have been advanced to explain gender imbalance in STEM education and careers, the one BRIDGES aims at addressing is the issue of recognition, e.g. the “Matilda Effect” about how women scientists’ contributions can be overlooked or mis-attributed to their male colleagues, the different needs and modalities of recognition between men (who tend to need and receive more) and women, etc. Based on the seminal work on recognition from authors including Nancy Fraser, Charles Taylor, Axel Honneth in combination with the latest development in digital recognition technologies, such as Open Badges and social networks, BRIDGES aims at exploring the conditions for novel approaches to recognition, more open, more inclusive and more fitting to the social practices of girls and woman (c.f. Deborah Tannen “You Just don’t Understand”, Eckert, Penelope and Sally McConnell-Ginet “Communities of practice: “Where language, gender, and power all live”).: Building Open STEM Ecosystems --------------------------------------------- BRIDGES aims at designing, implementing and evaluating Open STEM Ecosystems based on innovative approaches to recognition and accreditation to improve gender equity in the access to STEM education and careers BRIDGES will: 1) Create the conditions for the increased participation of girls and women in STEM education and careers 2) Bridge informal and formal STEM education and practices for future and actual female scientists Outcomes ------------- Through the consultation of a network of organisations and practitioners, BRIDGES will produce: * O1 – State of the Art (of STEM Learning and Recognition Ecosystems ) * O2 – Open STEM Scenarios * O3 – Open STEM Infrastructure * O4 - Open STEM cMOOC * O5 – Open STEM Ecosystems * O6 – Open STEM Guidelines Long term benefits ------------------------- Better understanding the causes of gender inequity in STEM education and careers, and possibly having provided elements to redress it, through a combination of awareness raising, innovative practices supported by innovative technologies. Participants --------------- The participants are a consortium of non-formal and formal science and technologies education providers: 1. Espace Mendès France, France 2. University of Cyprus 3. Open Knowledge Belgium 4. Scientifica, Romania 5. Vrije Universiteit, Netherlands 6. Reconnaître-Open Recognition Alliance
How to create an ecosystem of recognition for gender equality in STEM education and careers was the aim of BRIDGES. The premise of BRIDGES was to frame the issue of gender inequality in STEM as a 'recognition' issue. If, as some argue, the deficit of women in STEM is due to the fact that "girls are not competitive enough" (not "boys are too competitive"!) then encouraging girls to take up STEM studies and careers can only have a marginal effect - it would be more effective to ask them to be 'good boys'! Drawing on the work on recognition of authors such as Nancy Fraser, Charles Taylor, Axel Honneth, in combination with the latest developments in digital recognition technologies, such as Open Badges and social networks, BRIDGES aimed to explore the conditions for new approaches to recognition that are more open, inclusive and responsive to the social practices of girls and women (cf. Penelope and Sally McConnell-Ginet "Communities of Practice: "Where Language, Gender and Power Live")
According to the findings of the European Commission's She report, which has been monitoring the level of progress towards gender equality in research and innovation in the European Union since 2003, women represent only about a third of researchers (33%) and a quarter of full professors (26%). They are also under-represented among independent professionals in the fields of science and engineering and ICT (25%). As a player in scientific and technical culture, the Espace Mendès France (coordinator of the project) has been involved since 2000 in actions aimed at opening up access to scientific and technical studies and careers, mainly by promoting scientific and technical careers among young girls in secondary schools. Aware of the limits of awareness-raising work to address a systemic problem, the project aims to explore the tools and practices that can mobilise stakeholders in the design and implementation of solutions to the issue of gender inequality in scientific and technical studies and careers.