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In a landmark study involving over a million students, it appears that the reason boys dominate girls in STEM fields is not that they are better than girls at it (the reverse seems to be true) but, perversely, that gender differences are lower in non-STEM fields.
About the STEM grades, which are often abused as an explanation:
A classroom with more variable grades indicates a bigger gap between high and low performing students, and greater male variability could result in boys outnumbering girls at the top and bottom of the class.
“Greater male variability is an old idea that people have used to claim that there will always be more male geniuses – and fools – in society,” O’Dea says.
The team found that on average, girls’ grades were higher than boys’, and girls’ grades were less variable than boys’.
But girls' and boys' variability were much closer in non-STEM fields.
(Score: 4, Insightful) by fyngyrz on Monday December 10 2018, @02:26AM (8 children)
A good engineer will be interested in the data, and in how well it was assembled.
The rest will just whine about it.
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Reality is that thing which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away.
(Score: 3, Informative) by krishnoid on Monday December 10 2018, @02:40AM
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(Score: 2, Redundant) by The Mighty Buzzard on Monday December 10 2018, @03:28AM (5 children)
A good engineer will get hired because of their qualifications not what's between their legs.
My rights don't end where your fear begins.
(Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Monday December 10 2018, @08:16AM
This shift in practice is why the debates on this topic are so heated.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday December 10 2018, @09:26AM (1 child)
but but we MUST have gender equality!
How else can we get at least 50% of positions occupied by females?
(Score: 2, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Monday December 10 2018, @12:50PM
Yes, all those females who'll be achieving gender parity with males as sewage workers, garbage collectors and street sweepers.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday December 10 2018, @11:04AM
Now that's good news for the polycells!
(Score: 3, Insightful) by fyngyrz on Monday December 10 2018, @01:08PM
Did I say anything about hiring because of what's between their legs?
Why no, I didn't. Nor did I imply it. Rather the reverse.
I will now leave you to continue to play with your straw (wo)man.
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Knock softly, but firmly. I like soft, firm knockers.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday December 11 2018, @10:21AM
Yes, and that is the issue. The data, the way the data is collected, and even the standards themselves (grades, test scores) are junk.