ICWES15 - Why Do Girls Choose Engineering? A Comparison of three Engineering Disciplines. Presented...

Why do girls choose engineering? A Comparison of Students in Civil, Environmental and Chemical Engineering

Dr Rebecca GravinaA/Professor Margaret JollandsMs Sabrina Woon

School of Civil, Environmental and Chemical Engineering, RMIT University

RMIT University©2011 Gravina, Jollands, Woon 2

RMIT UNIVERSITY

• RMIT University is a technology based university, with its main campus in the city of Melbourne. More than 70,000 students study at RMIT campuses in Melbourne, Vietnam and partner institutions throughout the world.

• RMIT is a member of the Australian Technology Network.

• RMIT University offers programs of study in twenty-four schools across three academic colleges.

– Business – Design and Social Context – Science, Engineering and Health

http://www.rmit.edu.au/redirect?URL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.atn.edu.au%2F


Overview

• What influences female students when selecting engineering as a university program and the particular discipline of engineering

• Female engineering students from each discipline in the School of Civil, Environmental and Chemical Engineering at RMIT University have been interviewed

• Results analysed to determine whether factors are different when they choose different engineering disciplines


Statistics

• Engineering has remained one of the most male-dominated professions in the world

• Women in the engineering workforce depends on the country– US 11% – China, South Africa, Sweden and Portugal women 17- 20% – Australia 6%

• Women in engineering enrolments– Australia 15%– In decline since 2001 (peak 16%)


Influencing factors when selecting engineering as a university program

• Intervention programs (Lewis, Harris & Cox 2000 )

• Role models (Kvande 1986, Woolnough 1994, Hobart et al. 2006)

• Single gender schools (Thompson 2003, Tully & Jacob 2010, Lee & Marks 1990, Hobart et al 2006)

• High school environment (Tully &Jacobs 2010, Little & Barra 2009 Daly 2009)

• Early science and mathematics education (Correll 2001, Tully & Jacob 2010, Ethington &Wolfe 1998, Little & Barra 2009, Hobart et al 2006

• Ability and personality(Woolnough 1994, Hatt 2002, Hobart el al 2006)

• Extracurricular activities(Chachra et al 2009, Hobart el al 2006)


Choice of Discipline of Engineering

• Very few published studies (Hobart et al. 2006)

• At RMIT University, Chemical and Environmental Engineering typically attract 20 to 40 % girls, compared to Civil Engineering 5 to 10%


Research Methodology

• Interviews with female students in the 3 programs in our school– Sample size of 10

• Semi-structured interview approach – Focus on range of influences concerning discipline choice

• Verbatim transcriptions

• Thematic content analysis– Personal preferences– Resources– Parents– Teachers– Single sex schooling


Program Logic Framework

Input Activity/Process Output Outcome


Program Logic Framework – for female applicants

Input Activity/Process undertaken by the female applicant

Output Outcome

Personal preferences

Choosing to continue subject or following a passion

Choice of engineering discipline

Career aspiration to work in chemical, civil or environmental industry or academia


Input Activity/Process Output Outcome

Personal preferences

Choosing to continue subject or following a passion

Choice of engineering discipline

Career aspiration to work in chemical, civil or environmental industry of academia

Resources Doing research on the internet

Ditto Ditto

Parents Discussing career choices with family

Ditto Ditto

Teachers Discussing career choices with teachers

Ditto Ditto

Single sex schooling

Avoidance of stereotypes

Ditto Ditto

Program Logic Framework – for female applicants


Results of Thematic Analysis using the Framework

• Personal PreferenceFrequently cited by the students as influences, either their favourite subject at school, or a strong personal interest or disinterest.

• ResourcesFew references to use of resources in making the choice of engineering or discipline.

• ParentsNone had parents who were engineers (contrary to the literature)

• TeachersInfluence of teachers was strong for civils (consistent with the literature) but was notably absent for the chem and enviros (contrary to the literature)

• Single sex schoolsNone of our sample attended single sex schools (contrary to the literature)


Differences in discipline choice

Chemical engineering female students

Civil engineering female students

Environmental engineering female students

All did chemistry and specialist maths

All did physics and most did specialist maths

Half liked maths, half “had” to do maths

No hobbies Majority had drawing and construction based hobbies

Majority had science based hobbies

Driver was love of chemistry

Driver was love of maths and physics

Driver was passion for the environment

None encouraged by their families

Strongly encouraged by teachers to do engineering because of good performance in maths and science

Encouraged to do engineering as their fathers had wanted to do engineering or encouraged them to do engineering

Interested in continuing chemistry

Interested in built environment and maths

Interested in environmental issues


Conclusions

• Findings: Female students were clear about what influenced them to choose their particular engineering discipline

• Similarities between disciplines: – all had their discipline as their first preference– none went to a single sex school– none had an engineer in the family– very little research done before choosing a discipline – personal preferences were a strong influence for all

• Differences between disciplines– Choices of VCE subjects was significantly different

– chem eng/chemistry;specialist maths; civils/physics; enviros/less maths – Parental influence strong only for enviro – Teacher influence strong only for civils


Marketing of RMIT engineering programs

• Each discipline would benefit from promotional strategies tailored to their market demographic

• Small group hands-on for civil targeted to teachers

• “Save the world” for enviro targeted to parents

• Mainstream for chemical targeted to the students

ICWES15 - Why Do Girls Choose Engineering? A Comparison of three Engineering Disciplines. Presented...

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