Gender Patterns in Science Course Enrollment and Course Drop Patterns in an Iowa Senior High School

Authors

Sandra L. Stephen
Elizabeth D. Riesz

Document Type

Science Education

Keywords

gender equity, science course enrollment

Abstract

In order to ascertain whether local patterns corresponded to the national trends, which show fewer female and minority students enrolling in and completing high school physical science courses, the Cedar Rapids Community School District studied the course enrollment and drop patterns of seniors in one of the District high schools. Male students predominated in physics and AP Chemistry, and the proportion of males in AP Physics was significantly greater than the proportion of females. The proportion of females in chemistry was significantly greater than their proportion in the senior class. Course dropping patterns revealed a statistically significant relationship between gender and course dropping, as well as in course completion. As a result of these findings, intervention strategies have been implemented to increase female students' persistence in science course completion.

Publication Date

October-December 1995

Journal Title

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science

Volume

102

Issue

3-4

First Page

41

Last Page

45

Copyright

© Copyright 1995 by the Iowa Academy of Science, Inc.

Language

EN

File Format

application/pdf

Recommended Citation

Stephen, Sandra L. and Riesz, Elizabeth D. (1995) "Gender Patterns in Science Course Enrollment and Course Drop Patterns in an Iowa Senior High School," Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS, 102(3-4), 41-45.
Available at: https://scholarworks.uni.edu/jias/vol102/iss3/5