Image problems deplete the number of women in academic applicant pools
Autor/in:
Sears, Anna L.W.
Quelle: Journal of women and minorities in science and engineering, Vol. 9 (2003) No. 2, S. 169-181
Inhalt: "Despite near numeric parity in graduate schools, women and men in science and mathematics may not perceive the same opportunities for career success. Instead, female doctoral students' career ambitions may often be influenced by perceptions of irreconcilable conflicts between personal and academic goals. This article reports the results of a career goals survey of math and science doctoral students at the University of California, Davis. Fewer women than men began their doctoral programs seeking academic research careers. Of those who initially favored academic research, twice as many women as men downgraded these ambitions during graduate school. Women were more likely to feel geographically constrained by family ties and to express concern about balancing work and family, long work hours, and tenure clock inflexibility. These results partially explain why the percentage of women in academic applicant pools is often well below the number of Ph.D. recipients. The current barriers to gender equity thus cannot be completely ameliorated by increasing the number of women in the pipeline or by altered hiring practices, but changes must be undertaken to make academic research careers more flexible, family friendly, and attractive to women." (author's abstract)
Quelle: Journal of women and minorities in science and engineering, Vol. 9 (2003) No. 1, S. 89-102
Inhalt: "Many different programs have been designed to increase girls' interest in and exposure to science, mathematics, engineering, and technology (SMET). Two of these programs are discussed and contrasted in the dimensions of length, level of science content, pedagogical approach, degree of self- vs. parent-selected participants, and amount of communitybuilding content. Two different evaluation tools were used. For one program, a modified version of the University of Pittsburgh's undergraduate engineering attitude assessment survey was used. Program participants' responses were compared to those from a fifth grade, mixed-sex science class. The only gender difference found was in the area of parental encouragement. The girls in the special class were more encouraged to participate in SMET areas. For the second program, a new age-appropriate tool developed specifically for these types of programs was used, and the tool itself was evaluated. The results indicate that the new tool has construct validity. On the basis of these preliminary results, a long-term plan for the continued development of the assessment tool is outlined." (author's abstract)
CEWS Kategorie:Naturwissenschaft und Technik, Frauen- und Geschlechterforschung
Dokumenttyp:Zeitschriftenaufsatz
Mathematicians, attributional complexity and gender
Autor/in:
Stalder, Daniel R.
Quelle: Journal of women and minorities in science and engineering, Vol. 8 (2002) No. 2
Inhalt: "Given indirect indications in sex role and soda! psychology research that mathematical-deductive
reasoning may negatively relate to social acuity, Study 1 investigated whether mathematicians
were less attributionally complex than nonmathematicians. Study 1 administered the
Attributional Complexity Scale, a measure of social acuity, to female and male faculty
members and graduate students in four Midwestern schools. Atlrihutional complexity
(AC) is the ability and motivation to give complex explanations for behavior. Study
1 found a significant interaction between field and gender. Only among women did mathematicians
score lower on AC. In addition, an established gender difference in AC (that women
score higher than men) was present only among nonmathematicians. Studies 2 and 3 offered
some preliminary support for the possibility that it is generally female students
who score tow on AC who aspire to he mathematicians and for the underlying view that
female students' perceived similarity to mathematicians can influence their vocational
choices." (author's abstract)|
Quelle: Journal of women and minorities in science and engineering, Vol. 7 (2001) No. 1
Inhalt: "What are some of the barriers to women's achievement in postsecondary settings, particularly
in math and science? How can educators support the development of females to ensure
that they reach their potential? Nonintellectual factors may improve the prediction
of academic success beyond intellectual dispositions, and yet the typical coed university
is still a chilly climate for women. What other issues are occurring in the social
context for female students? This article explores the "cycle" of women's experience
of learning, focusing on students in an introductory math course and on preservice
teachers. Implications for graduate women students are also considered." (author's
abstract)|
CEWS Kategorie:Studium und Studierende, Naturwissenschaft und Technik, Frauen- und Geschlechterforschung
Dokumenttyp:Zeitschriftenaufsatz
Perceived gender interaction and course confidence among undergraduate science, mathematics,
and technology majors
Autor/in:
Hughes, W. Jay
Quelle: Journal of women and minorities in science and engineering, Vol. 6 (2000) No. 2, S. 155-167
Inhalt: "Questionnaire data (n=496) were used to examine the relationship between perceived
gender interaction in the classroom and course confidence for undergraduate science,
mathematics, and technology majors. Compared with male majors, female majors reported
significantly lower course confidence, recognition by and respect from instructors,
respect for female students from male peers, and confidence that course curricula
were gender-inclusive. Recognition by and respect from instructors explained 32% of
the variation in course confidence for female majors with female instructors; respect
from instructors explained 11% and 23% of the variation in course confidence for female
majors with male instructors and male majors with female instructors, respectively,
and instructor respect and academic achievement explained 26% of the variation in
course confidence for male majors with male instructors. Pedagogical implications
are discussed." (author's abstract)|