“The Gender of Science: A game- and project-based pedagogical intervention for secondary schools

Horizontal segregation in higher education is one of the key contributors to the gender gap, with men over-represented in STEM fields and women dominating areas such as humanities, education, and health – fields often associated with fewer career opportunities and lower prospects. To raise awareness about the role of gender-related issues in shaping academic and professional choices, interventions should be implemented at earlier stages of the educational path. This presentation illustrates a pedagogical initiative aimed at secondary students, “The Gender of Science” project. By using a scientific approach, students are encouraged to analyse and reflect on gender gaps within their own schools, peer groups and families. The intervention adopts a student-centred approach incorporating a gamification tool: the LaleoLab board game. The game plays a crucial role in participants’ engagement, while encouraging them to critically explore gender stereotypes and biases ingrained in languages and the influence of role models on identity formation.