Kaitlyn J. Bunker, PhD Candidate, Electrical & Computer EngineeringKaitlyn J. Bunker, PhD Candidate, Electrical & Computer EngineeringRaven R. Rebb, Undergraduate, Computer ScienceLaura E. Brown, Computer ScienceNilufer Onder, Computer ScienceGretchen L. Hein, Engineering FundamentalsGretchen L. Hein, Engineering FundamentalsLeonard J. Bohmann, Associate Dean, College of Engineering
Society of Women EngineersSociety of Women EngineersWE12 Annual ConferenceHouston, TXNovember 8, 2012, 1:30 pm
Michigan Technological UniversityHoughton, MI 49931
M ti ti• Motivation• Persistence, Climate and Engagement Studies
• Analysis/Comparisonsy p• Results• ConclusionsConclusions• Future Work
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• Concerns:Concerns:• Insufficient number of
engineering and computer science undergraduates to meet the undergraduates to meet the demand
• Student diversity in engineering and computer science is still an and computer science is still an issue
• Why study persistence?• Improve services for all • Improve services for all
engineering and computer science students
• Prepare all students to work in a • Prepare all students to work in a diverse environment
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• Public Science Technology • Public, Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)‐intensive, Midwestern UniversityU d d t E ll t • Undergraduate Enrollment: 5,500 (28.7% women)
• College of Engineering and College of Engineering and Department of Computer Science comprise 60% (18.2% women)
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ll l l d• Small‐scale, single institution persistence study at Michigan Tech (http://cs.mtu.edu/~lebrown/persistence‐study/)
Large scale multiple institution surveys on • Large‐scale, multiple institution surveys on persistence, climate and engagement • Project to Assess Climate in Engineering (PACE) • Project to Assess Climate in Engineering (PACE)
(http://depts.washington.edu/paceteam/index.html)
• National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) y g g(http://www.nsse.iub.edu/)
• Note: Only the data regarding Michigan Tech were usedused
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Michigan Tech PACE NSSE Michigan Tech (2011)
PACE (2008)
NSSE (2009)
• Small‐scale, • Nationwide: • Nationwide:single institution
• Engineering
• 22 institutions• 10,000 students completed
• 640 institutions• First‐year and senior level studentsEngineering
and Computer Science Students
psurvey
• Michigan Tech:• 1,034 invited
• Sample of student population
• Michigan Tech: 674 Students• 459 participants,
• 493 completed
• Engineering students only
g 74engineering students
• Every 3 years
436 surveys analyzed
• 2008 and 2012
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Michigan Tech Michigan Tech (2011)
PACE (2009) NSSE (2009)
• Survey:• Web Based
• Survey (used in this analysis):• Web based
• Survey:• Web based• Web‐Based
• 5 point Likert scale• Student E‐Mail
Notification:A d i Ad i
• Web‐based• 5 point Likert scale• Yes/no Responses
• Student Notification: M lti l tifi ti ith
• Web‐based• 4, 7 or 8 point ordinal
scale• Yes/No Responses
• Student Notification • Academic Advisers• Society of Women
Engineers (SWE)• Women in
C S i
• Multiple notifications with e‐mail addresses supplied by university
• Random sample of engineering st dents ith
• Student Notification: • First‐year and senior
students• Random sample of
engineering st dentsComputer Science (WiCS)
engineering students with 100% of underrepresented groups included
engineering students
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Michigan Tech (2011)
PACE (2009) NSSE (2009)
• Aspects of student persistence
• Why students
• Instruction• Faculty• Resources
• Student Engagement• Deployment and Use of Educational
switch majors• Who influences their decision to switch
• Perceptions• Major• Confidence
l
Resources by Students and Universities
majors • Personal Experiences
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Survey and University Demographics by
20%25%30%35%
y y g p yMajor Survey Participants
University Enrollment
0%5%
10%15%20%
Summary:
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Summary:• All engineering and computer science majors were represented• More women from each area responded than are actually in the departments
For persistence Mean (out of 5) For persistence, items women ranked higher than men:
d
Female Male
MTU Survey StatementWhy did you persist? "I have a good GPA" 3.4 3.3
• “Good GPA”• Income potential• Job opportunities
gWhy did you switch majors? “New major had better income potential" 2.8 2.3
Why did you persist?"I think my major has good income 3 9 3 6• Make a difference
Men predicted that
potential" 3.9 3.6
"I think my major has good job opportunities" 4.1 4.0
"I think my major will allow me to k d ff 4 0 3 4p
they would work longer as an engineer than women
make a difference" 4.0 3.4
Why did you choose your major?“Field provides opportunities to make a difference"
4.2 3.7
than women PACE Question“Forecast time as engineer after graduating" 4.0 4.5
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NOTE: GPAs for men (3.2/4.0) and women (3.3/4.0) were similar. (PACE)
Women reported MTU Survey Statement Mean (out of 5)
more frequently than men: • Participation in a greater
f i i i
Assess this statement Female Male"I can succeed in engineering and participate in other activities" 4.2 4.0
"I can relate to the students in my classes" 4.1 3.8range of activities
• Relate to others better• Discussions that include
course ideas/topics
NSSE QuestionMean
Female Male"Attended an art exhibit, play, dance, music, theater, or other performance" (out of 4) 2.4 2.1“Participated in activities to enhance spirituality course ideas/topics
outside of class
Men reported more f l h
“Participated in activities to enhance spirituality (worship, meditation, prayer, etc.)" (out of 4) 2.3 1.8“Discuss ideas from your readings or classes with others outside of class" (out of 4) 2.9 2.6
“Relationships with other students" (out of 7) 6 0 5 7frequently than women that they find study centers
f l ( / / )
Relationships with other students (out of 7) 6.0 5.7PACE Question
% Response, "Yes"Female Male
“Participation in engineering student societies" 32.8% 18.4%“P ti i ti i h" 16 4% 5 9%useful (3.4/5 vs 3.1/5)
(PACE)“Participation in summer research" 16.4% 5.9%“Participation in volunteer work" 55.5% 37.3%
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For persistence diversity and environment were For persistence, diversity and environment were more important to women than men
W d f l h h Women reported more frequently than men that they were singled out, or heard stereotypes
MTU Survey Statement Mean (out of 5)What factors were important in your persistence in your major? Female Male
“Satisfaction with the diversity within my major" 3.13 2.74“Satisfaction with the environment within my major" 3 63 3 23Satisfaction with the environment within my major 3.63 3.23
PACE Question% Response, "Yes"Female Male
“Have you been singled out unfairly due to gender" 14.8% 1.4%“Have heard faculty express gender stereotypes" 25 4% 6 8%“Have heard faculty express gender stereotypes" 25.4% 6.8%
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Few significant gender differences between Michigan Few significant gender differences between Michigan Tech , PACE and NSSE surveys for Michigan Tech studentsI t ti diff Interesting differences were:• Women use a greater variety of campus/personal resources than men, but use learning centers less than men, g
• Women and men had similar views on work‐life balance, but men expected to be in the engineer career path for a longer time than womenlonger time than women
• Women stated that diversity and environment were more important factors in persistence than menW t d i i d h i f lt • Women reported experiencing and hearing faculty express gender stereotypes more than men
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D l d t d t• Develop an updated survey to:• Include all students at Michigan TechE l th i t f l d l• Explore the importance of role models
• Explore the effect of student background on persistencepersistence
• Explore the students’ perceptions of faculty diversity and compare them to the university datadiversity and compare them to the university data
14Web Site: http://cs.mtu.edu/~lebrown/persistence‐study/
Thank you!Acknowledgements:
Thank you!
• The Michigan Tech College of Engineering for supplying the PACE and NSSE data.
• K. Bunker is supported through an NSF grant (DGE‐1051031)• G. Hein is partially supported through an NSF Grant (DUE‐0836861)
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G. Hein is partially supported through an NSF Grant (DUE 0836861)
Web Site: http://cs.mtu.edu/~lebrown/persistence‐study/
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