“Teacher Characteristics, Student Beliefs and the Gender Gap in STEM Fields”

by Dario Sansone; CeRP WP 165/16

Abstract
This paper investigates how to reduce the gender gap in STEM fields in the US. It quantifies the impact of high-school teachers’ gender, beliefs and behavior on students’ beliefs about girls’ abilities in math and science. Furthermore, it shows that such beliefs affect female students’ decision to take advanced math and science classes in high school, as well as their intentions to choose a STEM major once freshman in college.

published: October 2016

WP_165