The Rise of Women in Education

I have often read, heard and seen that women are indeed faring much better academically than their male counterparts. As someone who works for equality and access for all who seek higher education, nothing could make me happier than the fact that this particular gender gap has narrowed so substantially – although not completely (i.e. STEM). Growing up in a home where the struggles of women’s rights and gender equality were often dinner table conversations, I feel a twinge of guilt in wondering what is happening to all of the men and what can be done to ensure they find their place in a rapidly changing and evolving society.

Gender equality on many fronts, in addition to education, has certainly not been achieved. Women still make less than men for equivalent work and the executive glass ceilings are all too often encountered by women in many corporate boardrooms. Violence against women is still endemic and women are disproportionately left to economically and physically support children.  However, women have made historic gains in the workforce and have propelled even further in higher education by many accounts and I have often considered the possible reasons for this historic advance.  

A new book released this year entitled, The Rise of Women, conclude that women are more likely to attend college, perform better academically and choose other fields than STEM disciplines. The research conducted by the authors suggested one of the main causes for this disparity between gender achievements is due to school engagement in the primary schooling years - boys are less engaged and girls are more engaged. Additionally, the book discusses social and behavioral skill deficits experienced by boys that lead to lower educational readiness at multiple stages as compared to their female counterparts.

The authors also suggested that men are “overly optimistic” regarding their future income earning potential leading them to “under invest in education.” The book also discusses that the gender inequality gap most prevalent for those who attend college are the “lack of gender integration among various fields of study” – STEM fields are overly represented by men.  It is important to note that the book suggests that choice of college majors by men and women happen more at the K-12 level and less so at the college level.

As a student development practitioner, I wonder how we can better serve both men and women in the higher education environment and how to do our part to help ameliorate some of the social forces leading to gender inequality at the higher education level. I feel that CCD’s Urban Male Initiative (UMI) program is a very innovative and effective resource that helps promote male student engagement both at the educational and community level.  I also know of student groups and organizations that focus on exposing and encouraging women to explore STEM careers as viable career options.   

I would invite others to share, in the comments section, their thoughts and / or best practices regarding how to counteract any of the above mentioned social forces leading to gender inequality at all levels of education.