presentation slides - University of Washington

Scholarship on LearningAddressing Diversity“…to conduct research on theengineering student learningexperience in order to provide acomprehensive account —acrossdiverse student populations andenvironments— of how peoplebecome engineers.”ASEE 2008 Annual Conference: June 22-25, 2008 2

Related Studies• Foor, C., Walden, S. and Trytten, D. (2007). “‘I Wish That IBelonged More in this Whole Engineering Group:’ AchievingIndividual Diversity”.• Haden, C. (2007). “Evaluating Support for UnderrepresentedStudents in Engineering Degree Programs.”• May, G.S. and D.E. Chubin, (2003) “A retrospective onundergraduate engineering success for underrepresentedminority students.”• Purdy, C. & Wasburn, M. (2005). “Diversity in EngineeringEducation--What Are the Perceived Issues?”ASEE 2008 Annual Conference: June 22-25, 2008 4

Objective• To share insights into the role thatdiversity plays on the educationalpathways of undergraduate engineeringstudents.• No predisposed definition of diversitywas expressed or implied whileconducting the research.ASEE 2008 Annual Conference: June 22-25, 2008 5

METHODOLOGY• Sample: Cohort 1, 94 Sophomores• Instrument: Structured Interviews• Analysis: Qualitative with a GroundedTheory Approach (Structuralism)ASEE 2008 Annual Conference: June 22-25, 2008 6

Research Questions• How does this generation of undergraduateengineering students define diversity?• How do students classify diversity withintheir academic settings?• How do students perceive that their raceand gender impacts their goal of becomingan engineer?ASEE 2008 Annual Conference: June 22-25, 2008 7

Interview QuestionsData extracted from structured interviews,4 campuses, cohort 1.What doesdiversitymean to you?Does yourDoes yourracial identitygender affectaffect youryour viewsviews of becomingof becomingan engineer?an engineer?ASEE 2008 Annual Conference: June 22-25, 2008 9To what extentdo you consideryour schoolto be diverse?

Interview QuestionWhat does diversitymean to you?ASEE 2008 Annual Conference: June 22-25, 2008 10

Emergent Themes of DiversityGenderMajorsRacialPoliticalDIVERSITYGeographicalIdeologiesSocialCulturalSocioEcon.ASEE 2008 Annual Conference: June 22-25, 2008 11

Technical Public InstituteStudents framed diversity in thecontext of their institution-type and race.“…it’s not very diverse…because… it is an engineering school,… so in that aspect it’s not diverse… most of the studentsare kind of the same person in a sense…because we’re allpursuing the same degree.” (F)“…every school I’ve ever been to, it’s been around 90%white… we have a few transfer…and foreign students… but…diversity at this school…there isn’t a whole lot.” (M)ASEE 2008 Annual Conference: June 22-25, 2008 12

Urban Private UniversityStudents framed diversity broadly andin the context of culture and ideology.“… [I] think diversity means people coming fromdifferent cultures...it’s a difference.” (M)“…Diversity is having, … the presence of multiplepeople that have multiple experiences, … and…people with different outlooks, not necessarilyculturally, but in general. (M)ASEE 2008 Annual Conference: June 22-25, 2008 13

Suburban PrivateUniversityStudents framed diversity in the context ofrace and gender.Some found it difficult to discuss.“ah, diversity means ah, it means, ah,it’s hard to define diversity withoutdiversity (chuckle).” (F)“…having a wide variety of different…races…genders… schools.” (F)ASEE 2008 Annual Conference: June 22-25, 2008 14

Large Public UniversityStudents described diversityas trite and over exposed.“…social diversity…is pounded into our head at everystage of your development …diversity is one of those‘buzz words’. I don’t think it’s as important aseveryone tries to make it.” (M)“Diversity. Ahm I think that’s the fourth time I’veheard it this year (laughing)…So I guess diversity isjust a bunch of different personalities all in onetogether.” (M)ASEE 2008 Annual Conference: June 22-25, 2008 15

Does your gender affect yourviews of becoming an engineer?FemalesMalesno50%yes50%no74%yes26%Those women, who said that gender does impact their views ofbecoming an engineer, cited that they were impacted negativelyby the “lack of role models.”ASEE 2008 Annual Conference: June 22-25, 2008 16

Female Student’s ViewDoes your gender affect your views of becoming an engineer?TPITPI“… there are societies, like Society for WomenEngineers…that does help change ourperspective on being an engineer…it’s ‘cause I’m female, because I’m a minorityand I’m not used to being like that becauseI’m a white middle class individual… it’s hard to become an engineer, it’s realintimidating to be ahm, working for…predominantly all males…it’s kind of achallenge to me,…I can do this, I can pioneer this and be afemale engineer, be just as good as a maleengineer” TPIASEE 2008 Annual Conference: June 22-25, 2008 17

Male Students’ ViewDoes your gender affect your views of becoming an engineer?“…if the females... have an advantage, justbecause [of] things like affirmative action …where they give certain advantages to someminorities, I wonder if it is a disadvantagebeing the majority?” LPU-M“It’s more natural formales to be engineers.”SPU-MASEE 2008 Annual Conference: June 22-25, 2008 18

Does your racial identity affectyour views of becoming anengineer?NA5%Yes14%No81%ASEE 2008 Annual Conference: June 22-25, 2008 19

Multiple Students’ ViewDoes your racial identity affectyour views of becoming an engineer?“I “I really really don’t don’t think think so. so.I I don’t don’t think think that that is is a abig big deal. deal. I I don’t don’t think thinkabout about it it very very much.” much.”“The only thing it affects iswho’s gonna employ me…but“The only thing it affects iswho’s gonna employ me…butLPU-M LPU-Mit doesn’t affect how I feelabout being capable…if youit doesn’t affect how I feelabout being capable…if youknow what I’m saying,know what I’m saying,because I’m black….”UPU-Mbecause I’m black….”UPU-MASEE 2008 Annual Conference: June 22-25, 2008 20

Multiple Students’ View (cont’d)Does your racial identity affectyour views of becoming an engineer?“No, maybe if if I was like another race.…people still tell me I look white…mybeing Spanish has in in ..no way shape or orform [affected] anything…,…so I don’t celebrate Cinco de de Mayoor or anything….”-TPI-MASEE 2008 Annual Conference: June 22-25, 2008 21

Observations• To most engineering students, diversity means difference(school, gender, race, geographical, major field, politics,religion).• Diversity can be an uncomfortable topic for students todiscuss.• Students recognize the impact of diversity on their careers.• Students outlined an impending generational paradigm shiftin diversity.• Finally, when studying issues with such paucity as diversity,researchers must consider employing both qualitative andquantitative methods. The absence of either method, whileinteresting, would have been less robust.ASEE 2008 Annual Conference: June 22-25, 2008 22

Implications forEngineering EducationBack to Wm. A. Wulf’s statement“At the same time, by failing to attracta diverse engineering work force, wediminish what engineering cancontribute to society, and societypays an opportunity cost….”ASEE 2008 Annual Conference: June 22-25, 2008 23

AcknowledgementThis material is based on work supported by theNational Science Foundation under Grant No.ESI-0227558, which funds the Center for theAdvancement of Engineering Education (CAEE).Any opinions, findings and conclusions orrecommendations expressed in this material arethose of the author(s) and do not necessarilyreflect the views of the National ScienceFoundation.CAEE is a collaboration of five partner universities:Colorado School of Mines, Howard University,Stanford University, University of Minnesota, andUniversity of Washington.ASEE 2008 Annual Conference: June 22-25, 2008 24