Begell House Inc.
Journal of Women and Minorities in Science and Engineering
JWM
1072-8325
18
2
2012
THE ROLE OF GENDER IN STUDENT PERCEPTIONS OF LEADERSHIP ON INTERDISCIPLINARY ENGINEERING TEAMS
97-113
10.1615/JWomenMinorScienEng.2012003031
Heather T.
Rowan-Kenyon
Lynch School of Education, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts 02467, USA
Alexandra
Coso
School of Aerospace Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332-0150, USA
Amy K.
Swan
Center for Advanced Study of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (CASTL-HE), Curry School of Education, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22904, USA
R. Reid
Bailey
School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22904, USA
Marie F.
Creager
School of Education, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia 23284-3068, USA
gender
engineering teams
leadership
This study examines the role of gender in students' perceptions of their own leadership skills, as well as those of their peers, while working as members of interdisciplinary engineering teams. A mixed methods approach was utilized and included Bolman and Deal's leadership orientations survey (L.G. Bolman and T.E. Deal, Leadership Orientations Instrument, Jossey-Bass, San Francisco, 1990), focus groups utilizing the Midwest Flood Problem (Atman et al., J. Eng. Educ., vol. 24, no. 2, pp. 234â245, 2008) and individual interviews. The study concludes that male and female students might have different understandings or perceptions of what "leadership" means. While men preferred the structural leadership frame and women preferred the human resource leadership frame, more detailed information about this differentiation became apparent with the inclusion of the qualitative data. For male students in this study, leading was more about directing teamwork, running meetings, and project oversight. For female students, leading was about facilitating collaboration among team members, being responsible, and contributing to the team. These findings show that more development of students as leaders working in teams needs to happen during the collegiate engineering experience, as a majority of students are not able to utilize multiple leadership frames in a situation, which is necessary when working on complex and cutting-edge engineering problems.
(BABY) STEPS TOWARD FEMINIST PHYSICS
115-134
10.1615/JWomenMinorScienEng.2012003648
Barbara L.
Whitten
Physics Department, Feminist and Gender Studies Program & Environmental Program, Colorado College, 14 E. Cache la Poudre, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80903, USA
feminist critique of science
feminist physics
gender and science
In this exploration of some possible pathways into feminist physics, I take ideas from feminist philosophers of science and feminist science studies scholars about what feminist science should be. I look at the work of feminist scientists in other fields as role models. Using these guidelines, I develop nine categories of projects that are feminist or potentially feminist. I illustrate these categories with examples of contemporary physics research. With this work I hope to guide the steps of feminist physics and encourage other feminist scientists to develop these and other projects.
MULTIPLE ROLES, MULTIPLE BURDENS: THE EXPERIENCES OF FEMALE SCIENTISTS WITH CHILDREN
135-152
10.1615/JWomenMinorScienEng.2012001669
Margaret W.
Sallee
Department of Educational Leadership and Policy, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, New York 14260
Amanda Blakewood
Pascale
Office of Admissions, Enrollment Services, University of North Florida, Jacksonville, Florida 32224
female faculty
work/life balance
scientific culture
role strain theory
This qualitative case study of faculty at one research institution examined the factors that shape female scientists' ability to balance motherhood and their careers. Using role strain as a theoretical lens, the results indicated that participants assumed a variety of roles that frequently came into conflict with one another. In particular, female scientists' ability to balance competing demands was shaped by the nature of the academic work in the sciences, departmental colleagues, and features of home life. While on the surface policies and people supported participants who were balancing work and family, the underlying norms suggested that faculty should prioritize work over family. The article concludes with suggestions of ways institutions might create a culture that supports female scientists in balancing their work and home demands.
KEEPING THE GIRLS VISIBLE IN Kâ12 SCIENCE EDUCATION REFORM EFFORTS: A FEMINIST CASE STUDY ON PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING
153-178
10.1615/JWomenMinorScienEng.2012002317
Gayle A.
Buck
Department of Curriculum and Instruction, Indiana University, W.W. Wright Education Building, Bloomington, Indiana, USA
Nicole M.
Beeman-Cadwallader
Department of Curriculum and Instruction, Indiana University, W.W. Wright Education Building, Bloomington, Indiana, USA
Amy E.
Trauth-Nare
Department of Curriculum and Instruction, Indiana University, W.W. Wright Education Building, Bloomington, Indiana, USA
girls
problem-based science
feminist research
space science
Research has provided us with valuable understandings of girls' experiences in traditional classrooms, yet little is known about their experiences with contemporary reform efforts that alter these classrooms. The purpose of this feminist case study was to provide a descriptive, as well as interpretive, account of seventh-grade girls' cognitive and procedural engagement in a problem-based Earth and space unit, specifically focusing on how various instructional strategies influenced engagement. We addressed the question: What aspects of the problem-based learning (PBL) instructional approach fostered or hindered the girls' procedural and cognitive engagement in science education. The final analysis revealed four broad themes. These themes articulate connections among girls' levels and types of engagement and (1) interpersonal aspects of PBL instruction, (2) level of task structure, (3) technology-enhanced approaches, and (4) authentic contexts in PBL instruction. The findings from this case study contribute to an understanding of the impact of science education reform effort on girls' participation and offer possible directions for making this effort more conducive to girls' needs.
"THE DOORS ARE OPEN" BUT THEY DON'T COME IN: CULTURAL CAPITAL AND THE PATHWAY TO ENGINEERING DEGREES FOR WOMEN
179-198
10.1615/JWomenMinorScienEng.2012004190
Susan
Chanderbhan-Forde
Department of Anthropology, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida 33620, USA ; Alliance for Applied Research in Education and Anthropology, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, 33620, USA
Rebekah S.
Heppner
Alliance for Applied Research in Education and Anthropology, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, 33620, USA
Kathryn M.
Borman
Alliance for Applied Research in Education and Anthropology, Department of An thropology, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, 33620, USA
STEM
undergraduate education
women
under-representation
mentoring
role models
This article discusses women's unequal access to certain types of cultural capital and the role that this plays in their participation in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) undergraduate programs. We utilize ethnographic data from our three-year study of four undergraduate engineering programs in the state of Florida to analyze women's experiences on two portions of the pathway to an undergraduate STEM degree: women's experiences prior to college, when students are developing an interest in engineering, and their experiences during their undergraduate years. Our analysis indicates that women's limited access to certain types of cultural capital negatively impacts their early interest and knowledge of STEM fields, as well as their success during the undergraduate years. The voices of students and the viewpoints of their professors and school administrators are used to support this argument. We suggest two interventions: specific programs targeted to girls and young women and high quality mentoring.