What are some of the gender dynamics that occur in science classes?
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Science classrooms include students of all genders, and gender plays a role in some student and instructor interactions. What are some of the gender dynamics that occur in science classes?
July 3, 2018
Pedagogy Content- Promoting equity
Physics Content- Newton's laws
STEM-wide audiences ✓
Transcript, discussion questions, and problem
(2 MB)Specific Lesson Guide
Facilitator's guide for this lesson
(1 MB)General Facilitator's Guide
Background and best practices
(107 MB)Video
Captioned video
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Sample Discussion Prompts
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What did you notice in this episode? Talk to your neighbor about what you noticed.
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Carly gives a very complete explanation of a complex physics problem, and others in the group seem to accept her explanation as correct. Is she complimented or affirmed by anyone in the group?
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Carly says, “If you disagree with me, by the way, there's a very good chance I'm wrong about this.” Do you see her as weakening her masterful explanation with this statement? Or do you see her as encouraging collaboration? Or seeking validation? Or something else?
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Would your interpretation of Carly’s statement be different if Carly presented as male?
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What does this episode suggest about some of the gender dynamics that occur in science classes?
