is engineering is beautifu lto qatari females
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Is Engineering is “Beautiful” to Qatari Females?
Dr Hend Al Muftah
Qatar University
Training & Development Liaison Committee Meeting
Wednesday 9th June 2010
1
Presentation Overview Introduction
Career choice prior to engineering education
Driving Factors
Restraining Factors
Conclusion
What can WE do?
Q&A 2
When I first was introduced to
Engineering at my high school, an image
of a screwdriver is what comes in my
mind! Actually, that’s what some people
says about the “engineering” profession!!
Industrial & System Engineer3
Introduction…Facts !!!
4
Career facts………………….
In 2007
12% of total labor force were women
Only 6% of total labor force are females @
professional & technician position (Qatar Labor force
sample survey, 2007).
Introduction…. Facts!!!
Education facts……….in 2009…
QU, 58% are female students
over one decade (1998-2008), enrolment increased
by181% from 177 to 497 & graduates increased by
353% from 19 to 86 ....
Texas A & M, 38% are female students
However, in comparison to total increase in female
students’ enrolment at QU, T A&M, CMU, female
enrolment in engineering disciplines remains relatively
low & does not meet the economy/LM needs5
Females @ College of Engineering-QU
Spring 2009
Chemical engineering 70 female (59 male)
Architecture engineering 62 (female only)
Computer engineering 108 (female only)
Computer sciences 87 female (59 male)
Industrial and system engineering 90
(female only)
Electrical engineering 23 female (75 male)6
Why??? Are Q females challenging retention
problems or they are not being drawn to
engineering in the first place!
Available opportunities
Self-choice or by-other-decision
Pre-university academic preparation
Retention factors @ education
Retention factors @ career
Culture & society influence!7
Three Important Issues:
How can we attract more young women
into engineering education?
How can we retain more females in
engineering majors?
How can we retain more females in the
engineering workforce?
8
9
The women-in-engineering pipeline
How can we attract more
young women into
engineering?
How can we retain more females in
engineering majors?
How can we retain more
females in the engineering workforce?
Not enough
inflow
of female
students*
Feelin
gs o
f isola
tion
Po
or m
ath
/science
/
eng
ineerin
g self-effica
cy
“C
hilly
” cla
ssroo
m clim
ate
Not enough
outflow
of female
students
Un
iform
ed ch
oic
es
Po
or a
cad
emic
prep
ara
tion
(Source: Adapted from Trenor J. M., 2007)
Advancing the women in engineering
pipeline “the leaky pipe”
Female student’ career choice prior to college
and engineering program.
Uninformed choices.
Academic preparation.
Female student’ retention/persistence during
the engineering program.
Feelings of isolation.
“Chilly” classroom climate.
Poor math/science/engineering abilities; engineering
self-efficacy10
Factors affecting female students’ career
choice prior to enrol in engineering program*
Having family members @ engineering (58%)
Academic preparation- Level of math/science
Adequate knowledge (60%)
Ability to apply in real eng. Problems (60%)
Problem-solving & critical thinking skills
Decision to join engineering
High school (45%)
Family /peers influence (65%)11
RESULTS : CAREER CHOICE-FORCE FIELD ANALYSIS
Ideal state: Inspiring and retaining female students in the engineering programs at QUPrior to enrol into engineering program
Factors affecting
career choice prior to
entry to engineering
program.
1) About 3/5 (58%)
have a family member
who was an engineer.
2) >60% have adequate
math /science
preparation but < 60%
felt the hand-on and
problem-solving skills
in math/science at high
school were relevant to
current syllabus at QU
(4th year are more
confidence due to
experience).
3) >1/2 (57.4%)
decided to major in
engineering at high
school and 45.2% get
interested for the first
time in engineering at
year 12 of high school.
4) > 3/5 (67.2%)
received encouragement
to pursue an engineering
degree; > 3/5 (64.7%)
say parents as the most
influential people.
+ Driving forces Bidirectional forces – Restraining forces
Job opportunities
• extrinsic - highly paid job
• intrinsic - pride & achievement
Pre-college experiences
• received information
• performance of SME
• profession’s image
Rigor of the curriculum
• course difficulty
• thoroughness (heavy workload)
Contentment in engineering
• personal interest in engineering
• happiness with choice of
engineering major
Family influences
• born in a family of
engineers
• support & encouragement
College’s program (dissatisfaction
with admission requirements and
poor orientation – understanding
grading system and coping with
workload)
Self-confidence
• early interest and abilities in
science, math and engineering
(SME)
• overall academic performance &
abilities
Faculty/TA support
• quality of teaching
• availability for advising
• support & encouragement
Lack of academic preparation
lack of ability to apply their
strong background of
math/science to the real world
engineering problems
Encouragement to pursue an
engineering degree
• parents as the most influential
people
College engineering climate
• support program
• class room environment
• interaction between student
& staff
• interaction between student
& peers
• sense of belonging
Discouragement to pursue an
engineering degree
• teaching staff as the most
influential people
During the engineering program
Self-confidence Faculty/TA support Rigor of the curriculum
Availability of job opportunities College engineering climate Discourage by poor grades
Personal interest in engineering Family influences Poor teaching quality
Driving forces affecting persistence rates
of female engineering students at QU
Informed choices
Awareness
Positive image
Availability of job opportunities
Extrinsic & intrinsic motivation
Self-confidence
Adequate math/science
Adequate academic advising
Teaching quality
“Caring climate” college13
Drivers for
enrolment
Drivers for
retention
Driving forces affecting persistence rates
of female engineering students at QU
Personal interest in engineering
Happiness with college’s program (internship,
academic advising, TA, ,..)
Happiness with future career (sponsor, pay
scale, eng. Working environment, ...)
Family encouragement
Parental advice, family educational background,
family support,...14
RESULTS : DRIVER-FORCE FIELD ANALYSIS
Ideal state: Inspiring and retaining female students in the engineering programs at QUPrior to enrol into engineering program
Driving forces that
inspire/encourage
female engineering
students to enroll and
to retain at
engineering program
1) The main driving
forces that
inspire/encourage
female students to
enroll and to retain
them at engineering
program were self-
confidence,
availability of job
opportunities, and
personal interest in
engineering.
2) Self-confidence and
contentment increases
as enrichment of
perception and
participation increases.
+ Driving forces Bidirectional forces – Restraining forces
1. Job opportunities
• extrinsic - highly paid job
• intrinsic - pride & achievement
Pre-college experiences
• received information
• performance of SME
• profession’s image
Rigor of the curriculum
• course difficulty
• thoroughness (heavy workload)
2. Contentment in engineering
• personal interest in engineering
• happiness with choice of
engineering major
4. Family influences
• born in a family of
engineers
• support & encouragement
College’s program (dissatisfaction
with admission requirements and
poor orientation – understanding
grading system and coping with
workload)
3. Self-confidence
• early interest and abilities in
science, math and engineering
(SME)
• overall academic performance &
abilities
5. Faculty/TA support
• quality of teaching
• availability for advising
• support & encouragement
Lack of academic preparation
lack of ability to apply their
strong background of
math/science to the real world
engineering problems
Encouragement to pursue an
engineering degree
• parents as the most influential
people
6. College engineering climate
• support program
• class room environment
• interaction between student
& staff
• interaction between student
& peers
• sense of belonging
Discouragement to pursue an
engineering degree
• teaching staff as the most
influential people
During the engineering program
1. Self-confidence 4. Faculty/TA support 1. Rigor of the curriculum
2. Availability of job opportunities 5. College engineering climate 2. Discourage by poor grades
3. Personal interest in engineering 6. Family influences 3. Poor teaching quality
Restraining forces discouraging female students to
enrol & retain at engineering program
Rigor of the Curriculum
Course difficulty
Thoroughness (heavy workload)
Work-life conflict
Poor grades
Lack of academic preparation
Loosing interest
Dissatisfaction with engineering choice
Dissatisfaction with college’s program16
RESULTS : BARIER-FORCE FIELD ANALYSIS
Ideal state: Inspiring and retaining female students in the engineering programs at QUPrior to enrol into engineering program
Restraining forces
that inspire or
encourage female
engineering students
to enroll and to retain
at engineering
program
1) The main restraining
forces that discourage
female students to enroll
and to retain them at
engineering program
were rigor of the
curriculum (course
difficulty &
thoroughness), teaching
staff and discourage by
parents/family.
2) 2nd year students have
more restraining factors
than the other groups
because of low
enrichment of perception
and participation due to
less experience in college
which affect their
“resistant” to face many
challenges.
3) Rigor of curriculum &
poor teaching quality
affects self-confidence
when students were
discourage by their poor
grades.
+ Driving forces Bidirectional forces – Restraining forces
Job opportunities
• extrinsic - highly paid job
• intrinsic - pride & achievement
Pre-college experiences
• received information
• performance of SME
• profession’s image
1. Rigor of the curriculum
• course difficulty
• thoroughness (heavy workload)
Contentment in engineering
• personal interest in engineering
• happiness with choice of
engineering major
2. Faculty/TA support
• discouragement & lack of
support
• poor teaching quality
• lack of advising
College’s program (dissatisfaction
with admission requirements and
poor orientation – understanding
grading system and coping with
workload)
Self-confidence
• early interest and abilities in science,
math and engineering (SME)
• overall academic performance &
abilities
3. Family influences
• discouragement & lack of
support
• future work-life conflict
Lack of academic preparation
lack of ability to apply their
strong background of
math/science to the real world
engineering problems.
Lack academic performance &
abilities (poor grades).
Encouragement to pursue an
engineering degree
• parents as the most influential
people
4. College climate
• support program
• individualist class room
environment
• lack of interaction between
student & staff
• competition between peers
• isolation
Discouragement to pursue an
engineering degree
• teaching staff as the most
influential people
During the engineering program
Self-confidence 3. Faculty/TA support 1. Rigor of the curriculum
Availability of job opportunities4. College climate
2. Discourage by poor grades
Personal interest in engineering 5. Family influences 3. Poor teaching quality
Conclusion
Driving forces were dominant
Qatari Females students enjoys good retention
climate @ Engineering education
Low enrolment NOT low retention
Was the reason behind the under-representation
of female engineering students at QU, and
hence I&E Sector 18
Positive comments….
“To me, Engineering as education
means application of science, while
education as career means adding
technical value to Qatar, it really
means to make my country proud of
me”
19
20
What can WE do to increase retention
among female students? Parents, high school & counselors teachers
Help students make informed decisions, know what to expect
Connect them with mentors and support systems before entering college
Market the "Engineering" profession in more attractive manner.
Corporate and government constituents
Serve as a mentor to female students studying engineering
Managers & executives: provide reward system for mentoring & outreach activities
University faculty, staff
Encourage students to get involved on campus, particularly women-in-engineering support systems
Role model for female students
Develop and implement curricula with focus on collaborative, demonstrate societal relevance of engineering
Support students in obtaining research positions, internships, extracurricular activities that may increase their self-efficacy
Serve as mentors to female students
Provide funding for women-in-engineering programs, other female student support systems
21
What can WE do to increase retention
among female students?
