This document discusses using open educational resources (OER) to help mitigate gender inequality in STEM education. It provides context on current research showing barriers that lead to fewer women in STEM fields. These include beliefs, self-efficacy, motivation factors, and lack of role models. Contemporary STEM initiatives from around the world are described that aim to increase women's participation. The document then outlines how aspects of open education like OER, open licensing, and open access can help provide opportunities and flexibility to support women in STEM. It proposes a framework for OER to play a role in research, practice, enabling factors, and regulatory policy to address this issue.

1. The “Belt and Road”
Open Education Learning Week
18-22 December, 2017
The “Belt and Road” International Community for Open Educational Resources

2. The “Belt and Road” Open Education Learning Week, 18-22 December, 2017
The “Belt and Road” International Community for Open Educational Resources
Exploring Openness as an
Approach to Mitigate Gender
Inequality in STEM Education
Brenda Mallinson, OER Africa
With acknowledgement to:
Regina Monyemangene, Open University of Tanzania
This work is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

3. The “Belt and Road” Open Education Learning Week, 18-22 December, 2017
The “Belt and Road” International Community for Open Educational Resources
Outline
Introduction & Context
Summary of Current Research
Contemporary STEM Initiatives
Openness and Gender
Guiding Open Principles
Practical Framework

4. The “Belt and Road” Open Education Learning Week, 18-22 December, 2017
The “Belt and Road” International Community for Open Educational Resources
Context

5. The “Belt and Road” Open Education Learning Week, 18-22 December, 2017
The “Belt and Road” International Community for Open Educational Resources
Current Research
Why so few women in STEM?
Beliefs & Implicit Bias
Self-efficacy
Motivation Factors
Historical Stereotype
Interest Factors
Persistence Factors
Role Models
Research –> Policy –> Practice continuum

6. The “Belt and Road” Open Education Learning Week, 18-22 December, 2017
The “Belt and Road” International Community for Open Educational Resources
Contemporary STEM Initiatives
Country Specific
3 African Female Tech Experts (Uganda, Nigeria, Malawi)
1000 girls – 1000 futures (USA); hEr Volution (Canada)
Robotix (India); Science in Australia Gender Equity (SAGE) (Australia)
Region Specific
European Centre for Women & Technology (Europe)
Organization for Women in Science in the Developing World
Global/International
Girls in Tech (65 country programmes - 8 African)
Little Miss Geek; Technovation
Is there significant effect? Covering all Stem areas?

7. The “Belt and Road” Open Education Learning Week, 18-22 December, 2017
The “Belt and Road” International Community for Open Educational Resources
• Open Education
• Open Learning
• Open Courses
• Open Educational
Resources (OER)
• Open Licensing (CC)
• Open Access (OA)
• Open Source Systems
(OSS)
Open Sourxe.com CC-BY-SA http://www.flickr.com/photos/opensourceway/5535034664/
Adapted from
Czerniewicz (2012) CC-BY-SA
Aspects of Open

8. The “Belt and Road” Open Education Learning Week, 18-22 December, 2017
The “Belt and Road” International Community for Open Educational Resources
Current research on OER & Gender
OER & OEP Successes
Women have a voice
Connect with peers
Access to information and education
OER & OEP challenges
Online: extreme inequalities in digital empowerment
Offline: societal & economic barriers to women’s
empowerment

9. The “Belt and Road” Open Education Learning Week, 18-22 December, 2017
The “Belt and Road” International Community for Open Educational Resources
Who is the Superhero?

10. The “Belt and Road” Open Education Learning Week, 18-22 December, 2017
The “Belt and Road” International Community for Open Educational Resources
Open Education for STEM - SWOT Analysis
• Uneven digital
access
• Perceived low
quality of
certification &
resources
• Wider access to
education
• Contextualisation
of open
educational
resources
• Insufficient female
role models
• Extended informal
& flexible learning
environment
• Abundant OER on
STEM topics Strengths
Weak-
nesses
Threats
Opportun-
ities

11. The “Belt and Road” Open Education Learning Week, 18-22 December, 2017
The “Belt and Road” International Community for Open Educational Resources
Open Learning Principles
Hartwell [CC-BY-SA] http://commons.wikimedia.org
• Opportunities and capacity
for lifelong learning
• Learner-centred;
independent & critical
thinking
• Flexibility: determine where,
when, what, how, & own
pace
• Recognise prior learning &
experience
• Accumulate credits from
different contexts
• Conditions for fair chance of
learner success
(Saide, 2012)

12. The “Belt and Road” Open Education Learning Week, 18-22 December, 2017
The “Belt and Road” International Community for Open Educational Resources
Regulatory
Policy & Standards; Open
Principles; Goals, Processes &
Strategies; Metrics; Quality
Assurance.
Research & Innovation
Role of OER and Open Education
to mitigate inequalities of Gender
in STEM; Identify challenges,
propose innovative solutions.
Practice
Flexible learning opportunities;
Open virtual labs; Learner
centred; Promote success;
Address context.
Enablers
Role Models; Mentoring; Self-
efficacy; Peer support; Cost
reduction; Incentives.
OER, Open Access,
Open courses,
Open pedagogy.
Framework: OER supporting women in STEM

13. The “Belt and Road” Open Education Learning Week, 18-22 December, 2017
The “Belt and Road” International Community for Open Educational Resources
Thank you for your attention.
brenda.mallinson@gmail.com
This work is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Available on SlideShare:
http://www.slideshare.net/brenda6