Offer a STEM-specific pre-college preparation course emphasizing mathematics and effective learning habits, and expose female high-school students to extra-curricular advanced mathematics¶

Strategy · All strategies
Evidence · no claims cited

Description¶

Because the gap traces to incoming preparedness and does not shrink on its own, the authors recommend intervening before fixation in first year: "perhaps a STEM-specific preparation course, with an emphasis on mathematics and on establishing effective learning habits could help reduce the gap before students start their undergraduate studies". They further suggest "interventions designed to increase the exposure of high-school female students to extra-curricular advanced mathematics howtos and tips and tricks". Both are forward-looking recommendations the article explicitly proposes for future evaluation, alongside learning analytics work with more meaningful traces.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• Evaluation research to test whether such interventions reduce the gap before it fixates in the first year of college

Constraints¶

• The article states the gap does not shrink on its own and requires educational manipulations or interventions; the proposed strategies are untested

Target Learners¶

• prospective undergraduate STEM students
• female high-school students

Target Learning Goals¶

• reducing the gender gap in advanced STEM course performance
• strengthening incoming mathematics preparation and learning habits

Related Strategies¶

• Four-part policy strategy for increasing student access to advanced mathematics and science courses
• Implement study-habit improvement programs for children before age 8 to support stable academic performance

Examples¶

-

Key Sources¶

• Ilana Ram, Adam Shwartz, Ido Roll. (2025). Minding the gender gap in advanced STEM courses: effects of student preparedness and activity level. Instructional Science (2025) 53:1457–1478. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11251-025-09748-1