The STEM Approach to Tackling Gender Segregation: An Educational Project in Secondary Schools

Gender segregation remains a critical issue affecting employment and leadership across sectors. This paper investigates the potential of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education to reduce gender disparities, aligning with international and EU directives. The Italian National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) prioritizes investments in STEM skills to close the gender gap between Italy and the European average. The initial part of this study addresses gender-based occupational segregation and its broader societal impacts, which perpetuate inequalities and limit equal opportunities. Identified as an educational emergency, the paper advocates for equipping students with tools to promote gender awareness and equity. Using data from Almalaurea (2020/2021), a significant gender imbalance in STEM enrollments is highlighted, underscoring the urgency of targeted interventions. The STEM approach, integrating Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), is proposed as a pedagogical strategy to foster hands-on experimentation and real world applications, enhancing engagement and critical thinking skills. The study presents an educational STEM project implemented in secondary schools in Foggia, Italy, involving 114 students across scientific high schools, technical institutes, and vocational schools. Through interdisciplinary activities and project-based learning, students explored gender segregation themes and developed 28 applications to promote social inclusion. Qualitative analysis identified seven core themes, suggesting that workshop-based STEM methodologies significantly outperform traditional teaching in motivating students and deepening their understanding of gender issues. The findings support STEM’s transformative potential in creating an inclusive learning environment and fostering gender equity.