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The relationships between gender, social expectation, and decision-making processes of engineering students
Author(s)
Date Issued
2022
ISSN
1308-1470
1694-609X
Citation
International Journal of Instruction, 2022, Vol. 15(4), pp. 435-452.
Type
Peer Reviewed Journal Article
Abstract
This study aims to explore the gender roles, social expectations, motivations,
career decisions, and sense-making processes of a group of undergraduate female
engineering students, particularly in the fields of naval, marine technology, and
maritime studies, in the United Kingdom. Based on the Social Cognitive Career
and Motivation Theory, two research questions were listed, why do undergraduate
female students decide to study engineering, particularly in naval, marine
technology, and maritime studies, as their career development? How do
undergraduate female engineering students describe and make sense of their
academic voyage and experiences as pre-service engineering professionals based
on their gender, social expectation, and decision-making process? In line with the
qualitative phenomenological approach, interview, focus group activity and
member checking interview were employed to collect the stories from 20 female
undergraduate engineering students in the United Kingdom. Three main themes
were categorised, 1) interest in STEM learning, 2) determination about an
engineering career, and 3) the surrounding environment: connection and
relationship with the ocean. The results showed the potential managerial
developments for gender diversity and constructive gender policies in engineering
based on the voices of female engineering professionals. The outcomes of this
study will fill the gaps in gender and gender issues in the engineering profession.
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