skip to main content
research-article

Gendered learning experience of engineering and technology students

Published: 01 March 2008 Publication History

Abstract

UK National statistics for science, engineering and technology studies and careers confirm the under-representation of women in these disciplines. A literature review formed the basis for developing survey questionnaires exploring issues of female students' attraction to, and retention in, engineering and technology studies. Findings indicate that having family members in the engineering or technology industry plays an important part in the students' choice of degree topic and future career. In particular, we found that female students need to be encouraged to study a "male dominated" subject, such as engineering or technology but that teachers do not contribute much to such encouragement. While at university, female students were more comfortable in small practical sessions rather than in a large lecture theatre environment and, when evaluating self-confidence in their skills at graduation, the female students were less confident than their male colleagues. In addition, the study highlights that gaining work experience through an industrial placement should be one of the priorities for engineering and technology students. A high level of determination and wanting to do engineering or technology is especially necessary for women who may be discouraged by the stereotyped image of engineering and technology studies and professions.

References

[1]
Bennett, J. F, Davidson, M. J, & Gale, A. (1999). Women in construction: a comparative investigation into the expectations and experiences of female and male construction undergraduates and employees. Women in Management Review, volume 14, no. 7, pages: 273--291.
[2]
Blickenstaff, J. C, (2005). Women and science careers: leaky pipeline or gender filter? Gender and Education, Vol. 17, No. 4; pages:. 369--386.
[3]
Brake, M. L, & Tessmer, A. I. (2004) Robots and Girls. IEEE Antennas and Propagation Magazine, volume 46, no. 1, pages: 142--143.
[4]
Campbell, K, (1999) The Promise of computer- based learning: Design for inclusivity, IEEE Technology and Society Magazine, volume 18, issue 4, pages: 28--34.
[5]
Coles, B. S, (1994) Equal opportunities in engineering education, Engineering Science and Education Journal, volume 3, issue 5, pages: 199--204.
[6]
Chiu, L. H. Chiu, S. Y. Chiu, J. H, & Chiu, D. M. (2002) Engineering and technology education for women in the new century, Engineering Science and Education Journal, volume 11, issue: 4, pages: 145--152.
[7]
Etzkowitz, H, Kemelgor, C, & Uzzi, B. (2000) Athena Unbound - the advancement of women in science and technology. Cambridge University Press, UK.
[8]
DTI (2003), Gender and Innovation Statistics, DTI, http://www.setwomenstats.org.uk/set4statistics/05_index.htm, accessed May 2005.
[9]
Frize, M. (2001) Attracting and retaining more women into engineering: Successful strategies for this decade, Engineering Dimensions, pages: 33--34.
[10]
Gregg, M. H., Hisrschfeld, D, & Watford, B. (1996) Student Retention Strategies Gender Clustering, ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Washington, D.C., June 1996.
[11]
Hasse, C, (2000) Feedback-loop among physicists - towards a theory of relational analysis on the field, Anthropology in Action. volume 7, no.3, Pages: 5--12.
[12]
Henwood, F, (1999) Exceptional women? Gender and technology in U.K. higher education, IEEE Technology and Society Magazine, Winter 1999/2000, pages: 21--27.
[13]
Ingram, S, & Parker, A, (2002) The Influence of gender on collaborative projects in an engineering classroom, IEEE Transactions on Professional Communications, volume 45, No. 1, Pages: 7--20.
[14]
Jensen, K, & Takruri-Rizk, H, (2006). ""I am an engineer who happens to be a woman"-Conflicting Interpretations of Gender Identity" The WINIT International and Interdisciplinary conference on Gender, Technology and the ICT Workplace, University of Salford, UK, June 2006.
[15]
Mbarika, V. W, Sankar, C. H, & Raju, P. K, (2003) Identification of factors that lead to perceived learning improvements for female students, IEEE Transactions on Education, volume. 46, No. 1, pages: 26--36.
[16]
Powell, A, Bagilhole, B, Dainty, A, & Neal, R. (2004) Does the engineering culture in UK higher education advance women's careers?, Equal Opportunities International, volume 23, issue 7/8, pages: 21--38.
[17]
Proost, K, & Elen, J, (1997) Effect of gender on perceptions of and preferences for telematic learning environments, J.Res Computer Education, volume 29, No. 4, pages: 370--385.
[18]
Stonyer, H, (2002) Making Engineering Students - Making Women: The Discursive Context of Engineering Education, International Journal of Engineering Education, Special Issue on Women in Engineering, volume 18, No.4, pages: 392--399.
[19]
Sewell, D. F, Pulko, S. H. (1995) Male and female electronics engineers and electronic engineering: attitudes and influences, Engineering Science and Education Journal, volume 4, issue 3, pages: 104--108.

Cited By

View all
  • (2015) Assessing the Impact of a Research‐Based STEM Program on STEM Majors' Attitudes and Beliefs School Science and Mathematics10.1111/ssm.12118115:5(226-236)Online publication date: 5-May-2015
  • (2015)An unusual job for a woman? Female entrepreneurs in scientific, engineering and technology sectorsInternational Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research10.1108/IJEBR-08-2011-009521:4(539-556)Online publication date: Jun-2015
  • (2011)Creating a knowledge-based economy in the United Arab Emirates: realising the unfulfilled potential of women in the science, technology and engineering fieldsEuropean Journal of Engineering Education10.1080/03043797.2011.62417436:6(559-570)Online publication date: Dec-2011

Recommendations

Comments

Information & Contributors

Information

Published In

cover image ACM SIGCAS Computers and Society
ACM SIGCAS Computers and Society  Volume 38, Issue 1
March 2008
42 pages
ISSN:0095-2737
DOI:10.1145/1361255
Issue’s Table of Contents

Publisher

Association for Computing Machinery

New York, NY, United States

Publication History

Published: 01 March 2008
Published in SIGCAS Volume 38, Issue 1

Check for updates

Author Tags

  1. education
  2. engineering and technology students
  3. female engineers and technologists
  4. gender
  5. learning environment
  6. learning style

Qualifiers

  • Research-article

Contributors

Other Metrics

Bibliometrics & Citations

Bibliometrics

Article Metrics

  • Downloads (Last 12 months)6
  • Downloads (Last 6 weeks)1
Reflects downloads up to 13 Feb 2025

Other Metrics

Citations

Cited By

View all
  • (2015) Assessing the Impact of a Research‐Based STEM Program on STEM Majors' Attitudes and Beliefs School Science and Mathematics10.1111/ssm.12118115:5(226-236)Online publication date: 5-May-2015
  • (2015)An unusual job for a woman? Female entrepreneurs in scientific, engineering and technology sectorsInternational Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research10.1108/IJEBR-08-2011-009521:4(539-556)Online publication date: Jun-2015
  • (2011)Creating a knowledge-based economy in the United Arab Emirates: realising the unfulfilled potential of women in the science, technology and engineering fieldsEuropean Journal of Engineering Education10.1080/03043797.2011.62417436:6(559-570)Online publication date: Dec-2011

View Options

Login options

View options

PDF

View or Download as a PDF file.

PDF

eReader

View online with eReader.

eReader

Figures

Tables

Media

Share

Share

Share this Publication link

Share on social media