Improving Female Students’ Motivation in STEM through School-based Intervention
Authors
Sharfina Indrayadi
Jimmy Daniel Berlianto
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education is vital for Indonesia’s
technological progress and economic competitiveness. Yet, female students remain
underrepresented in STEM pathways despite consistently strong academic performance.
Evidence from Bandung city junior secondary schools reveals that these students often
report lower confidence, lower participation in practical STEM activities, and may receive less
encouragement from teachers and parents. At the same time, school-level stakeholders are not
aware of the potential gender barriers in learning. These gaps reflect the necessity for gender
responsive education to shape inclusive school environments and female students’ experience
in learning STEM subjects.
This study investigates how school-based interventions can help address gender gaps and
barriers. Using a mixed methods design that combines student surveys, teacher interviews,
classroom observations, and a behavioral intervention, the research highlights both the
opportunities and limitations of school-level strategies in shifting perceptions and motivating
female students to pursue STEM.
The intervention introduced a one-day workshop for STEM teachers on gender-responsive
pedagogy, followed by classroom implementation and teacher diaries. On the positive side,
female students who were exposed to the program became more willing to challenge gender
stereotypes and increasingly viewed women as capable of succeeding in STEM. Teachers also
reported greater awareness of unconscious bias and began experimenting with lesson plans
that included female role models and more inclusive classroom practices. At the same time, the
effects on student motivation were uneven. Improvements in self-efficacy and perceived teacher
support remained limited, with some indicators even showing decline as teachers struggled to
adjust curriculum and pedagogy to diverse student needs.
Rayhan Fasya Firdausi
