Two factors may explain these differences of choices:
1.It seems that the attractiveness of ET sectors differs from males to females because of its gendered representation, which is a masculine one.
2.The lack of interdisciplinary content in ET curricula may act as a foil to potential SET students, both men and women. Several previous studies[i] suggest, first, that young people and particularly women, want more interdisciplinarity (such as subjects from the humanities and social sciences) in their engineering degree courses; and second, that many non-engineering students may have considered studying engineering if there had been more subjects from the humanities and social sciences included. A more interdisciplinary approach of ET would stress the social utility of ET and the societal challenges attached to the profession, which is something important in students' choice.
The GIEE 2011 conference is being organised by the HELENA research project consortium (Higher Education leading to Engineering and Scientific Careers), funded by the EU commission in the frame of the 7th FP[ii]. This project collected and analyzed literature and data from higher education engineering programmes across the range of levels of interdisciplinary content in order to answer the question of whether interdisciplinary education has an impact on the gender balance of students in the discipline. Results will be presented during the conference, with the opportunity for open debate with other participants on the research findings.
We invite scholars and specialists of engineering training to contribute to this conference by sending abstracts of no more than 500 words (including methodology and relevant references) online at the following website before 15th October 2010 (see calendar below):
www.fp7-helena.org/conference2011 <http://www.fp7-helena.org/conference2011>
The Conference will be organized using the following broad structure (detailed content of each theme on www.fp7-helena.org/conference2011 <http://www.fp7-helena.org/conference2011> ):
- Theme 1: Teaching and learning Contents and Cultures.
- Theme 2: Students' experiences.
- Theme 3: Other ways to attract more women.
- Theme 4: Policies.
News
HELENA International Conference in Paris. Call for papers
23./24.6.2011, Paris
Attracting more young people, particularly women, in Engineering and Technology (ET) is a major concern in Europe today. Their participation in engineering occupations appears to be a key-issue for European economic and technical development, as well as a central achievement towards gender equality and social justice. Increasing young people interest in the sciences and mathematics and underlining the importance of Engineering and Technology developments in shaping our collective future is an ongoing project in the education sector. In higher education in Europe, women are overrepresented in the humanities, education, arts, health, welfare, agriculture or veterinary studies, while men opt for science, mathematics and computing. If we look more closely at engineering, manufacturing and construction, 18.5% of males graduate in this area, compared to 6.9% of women.