Encouraging Girls in STEM Pathways: A Multi-Stakeholder Perspective and Participation

Details

8 September 2024/२३ भदौ २०८१ (आइतबार, दिउँसो ३ बजे)
Research Seminar Series
Encouraging Girls in STEM Pathways: A Multi-Stakeholder Perspective and Participation
Dikshya Khadka, Researcher; Udeshya Girls in STEM; Bhawana Shrestha, PhD, Co-founder, My Emotions Matter; and Richa Neupane, Co-founder, Udeshya Girls in STEM
 

Abstract
The growing importance of STEM related skills for the future and the minimal involvement of girls in choosing the field of STEM as a career prospect has led to this inquiry. This project research identifies gaps in promoting quality STEM education for girls in secondary school classrooms in Banepa Municipality, Nepal. For this, the study adopts a qualitative research design to explore the subjective experiences, perceptions, and behaviors of stakeholders at the local government level. The literature illustrates STEM as an approach to teaching learning process and its significance in the context of Nepal. Primary data were collected through interviews with various stakeholders such as policymakers, administrators, and teachers who play crucial roles as participants in encouraging girls in STEM.  The research highlights the lack of discussion on multidisciplinary approach in teaching-learning practices with experiential learning and the lack of implementation of integrated STEM curricula in public schools in relation to girls' access to STEM. Key findings reveal that experiential learning can significantly motivate girls towards STEM fields, and that teachers act as vital catalysts in providing extrinsic motivation. Consequently, teacher training and professional development are essential for embedding integrated STEM curricula in public schools. Nepal has already achieved gender parity in the enrolment of girls at secondary level leaving a fertile ground to further implement various teaching learning strategies to encourage girls to even consider the field of STEM for higher learning and as a career prospect.

Keyword: gender equality in STEM, multidisciplinary approach in STEM education

About the Speakers
Dikshya Khadka is a dedicated researcher specializing in social justice in STEM education. As a Researcher at Udeshya Girls in STEM, she leads initiatives to promote equity and inclusion. She completed her Master’s degree in Public Policy and Management from Kathmandu University. Her career, which began as an English Fellow with Teach for Nepal, includes leadership roles at Skill Lab, Ujyalo Foundation, and research associate at the National Planning Commission. She was awarded a research grant from Institute for Integrated Development Studies (IIDS) for her master’s thesis on GESI policies in Nepal. She was also the Global Girls Education Fellow at Teach For All. Her research focus lies on gender equity, the influence of social and cultural factors on STEM participation, and policy interventions to enhance diversity and inclusion.

Bhawana Shrestha, PhD, co-founded My Emotions Matter, a dedicated organization helping individuals and teams in cultivating the mindset and skills vital for emotional well-being. Her doctoral studies at Kathmandu University focused on fostering Emotional Intelligence among educational leaders through critical self-reflection. Dr. Shrestha actively researches, mentors and coaches teachers and principals, offering national and international consultations on educational leadership, emotional intelligence, social inclusion, equity, and the transformative role of art-based learning in both schools and higher education settings. Recognized as the Echidna Global Scholar 2022 by the Brookings Institution, a renowned global think tank, she has notably contributed to enhancing emotional well-being, particularly among women.

Richa Neupane, is the co-founder of Udeshya Girls in STEM. She is passionate about providing safe learning spaces to young girls and women’s leadership and solidarity. She has dedicated the past decade delving into the school education system in Nepal and also led many fundraising campaigns to make quality education more accessible to students. She holds a Bachelor of Science in International Studies from Minnesota State University Moorhead and a Master’s in Public Policy and Management (Social Justice) from Kathmandu University. She is an Accountapreneur at the Accountability Lab and recently helped develop an online civic engagement tool for public school stakeholders called ‘Support My School Nepal’ during the #HackCorruption South Asia program.