While women have made substantial gains in positions of responsibility in many walks of life, their numbers still lag as STEM researchers and instructors. There is evidence that recruitment and retention of women in STEM improves as women become accustomed to seeing other women in STEM roles. So the question presents itself: How might OER help girls and women take interest and persevere in STEM fields? I will argue that video can make a powerful contribution to this mission and that seeing women in charge of a classroom, expressing their fascination with their chosen field of study, and discussing their research can have a positive impact on younger women contemplating career options. Over the years MIT OpenCourseWare (OCW) has amassed a substantial video library of lectures, recitations, interviews, and presentations. Overall, there are more than 4,000 video files on the site. The great majority of these are in STEM subjects. This portfolio now includes significant numbers of videos featuring women in STEM roles, with women instructors teaching their subjects, expressing excitement about their work, and reflecting on their careers. OCW also has videos of female students giving presentations on their STEM course projects, working productively in teams, and offering their reflections on their experience in STEM classes. My presentation will survey the kinds of OCW video resources (lecture, interview, etc.), the subject areas in which women appear in video (biology, chemistry, etc.), and the different roles of the participants (professor, TA, student). A brief video sampler will show some of these women in action. The presentation will then be followed by a discussion of the value of these videos in encouraging women to pursue STEM careers, what new kinds of video resources might be created to enhance such an effort, and how resources like these might best be shared.
