Participation of Females in Physics Programs at the University of Botswana

Abstract

The number of females enrolling in medical and health‐related fields is substantially higher than in engineering and technology. Females tend to express a preference for careers with a strong element of social services. The level of interest and achievement in science and technology between females and males is quite different. Much of the research argues that stereotyping influences the attitudes and beliefs of young children, and these attitudes and beliefs are reinforced at home and school to create a marked effect on participation of females and their subject choices in science and technology education. These attitudes affect the level of self‐confidence and enjoyment that females develop about science, especially physics. Girls tend to view physics in a negative way, claiming that it is difficult, time consuming, and masculine. They may believe that they can only understand a concept if they can put it into a broader world view, whereas males are pleased if there is internal coherence within the concept learned, and appear to enjoy physics more than biology and chemistry, viewing it as valuable in itself. The University of Botswana is facing this low participation and lower performance of females in physics programs compared with males.