Read on Twitter
How do you know what you're doing works if you don't measure it?
A broad analysis of gender equity initiatives in Australia published this morning has identified how little critical evaluation of program success is performed within the STEM equity sector.
A broad analysis of gender equity initiatives in Australia published this morning has identified how little critical evaluation of program success is performed within the STEM equity sector.
And while there is plenty of evidence of the benefits for a diverse workforce, including productivity and efficiency gains, very little is known about the efficacy of gender equity initiatives designed to improve diversity in STEM.
Something needs to be done - but it's not clear that what is being done is working as well as it could be.
"The myriad initiatives show a concerted effort to engage girls and women in STEM, but the absence of any meaningful evidence of impact means we simply do not know whether these initiatives are benefiting these girls and women in the long term or not."
- Dr @MezMcK, @ANU_CPAS
- Dr @MezMcK, @ANU_CPAS
The paper also calls for evaluation results to be publicly accessible to ensure the whole sector can benefit and prevent resource wasting from reinventing actions that aren't effective.
The issue of evaluation was identified as the one of six opportunities in the Women in STEM Decadal Plan.
Developed in collaboration with @ATSE_Au, the plan offers a vision to 2030 of the STEM workforce required to support Australia's prosperity. https://www.science.org.au/support/analysis/decadal-plans-science/women-in-stem-decadal-plan
Developed in collaboration with @ATSE_Au, the plan offers a vision to 2030 of the STEM workforce required to support Australia's prosperity. https://www.science.org.au/support/analysis/decadal-plans-science/women-in-stem-decadal-plan
A crucial first step has already been taken by the @WomenInSTEMAu Office, who released a draft evaluation guide earlier this year.
This is still available online and a final version is expected soon. https://womeninstem.org.au/research-projects/national-evaluation-guide/
This is still available online and a final version is expected soon. https://womeninstem.org.au/research-projects/national-evaluation-guide/
At the Australian Academy of Science, we have meticulously evaluated our own federally-funded project #STEMWomen and released an impact report. https://www.science.org.au/news-and-events/news-and-media-releases/searchable-stem-women-database-increases-representation
We encourage all organisations to continue to develop and improve their gender equity activities, but to do so in an informed way.
Critical and publicly facing evaluation is essential to drive investment and effort into measures that work.
Critical and publicly facing evaluation is essential to drive investment and effort into measures that work.
