Gender still matters in Australian schooling

Abstract

In the 1980s, gender issues and a focus on girls’ and young women's participation in SET was a significant issue in Australian education. Much has changed, however, with current policy paying scant attention to gender as an issue in SET. Léonie Rennie was a co-organiser of the Sixth International Gender and Science and Technology conference held in Australia and in this article presents her personal reflection on some of the changes and possible reasons for the apparent lack of interest in gender in SET in Australia at the current time. The article documents policy and other milestones relating to gender in school science education over the last three decades and presents recent evidence suggesting that the aims of gender-inclusive education have not yet been achieved.