Analysis about the girls' engagement in STEM through arduino's classes

• Grant number: 21/08421-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: March 01, 2022
• End date: February 28, 2023
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Computer Science - Computer Systems
• Principal Investigator: Luís Paulo de Carvalho Piassi
• Grantee: Maria Eduarda Rodrigues Garcia
• Host Institution: Escola de Artes, Ciências e Humanidades (EACH). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Having in mind the low female representation in STEM-related areas (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics), and being a consequence of a row of social facts, the present project has a goal of evaluating the efficiency of periodic robotic-related and exclusive feminine workshops in promoting the engagement and encouraging girls from 11 to 17 years old to be interested and comfortable in that environment. Introducing the programming and Arduinos' study, an electronic prototyping platform, there's the aim to examine the participants' permanence and involvement with the theme throughout the proposition of the building of 4 prototypes: an electronic dice, an electronic piano, a security system, and a calculator. Trying to transform the teenagers' self-perception about their Science and Technology acting, will be analyzed as well as their perceptions about their own learning and capacity to address more advanced projects according to workshops evolution and, after, showing the possibility of staying in the area. The process has the finality of being natural, flexible to girls' interests, and tangible to reality, with simple association to day-to-day projects and using electronic components, that promote visual responses to programming teaching.(AU)