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Elizabeth Litzler, PhD University of Washington

How do gender and race/ethnicity intersect to impact students' perceptions of experiences in engineering?. Elizabeth Litzler, PhD University of Washington Global Marathon For, By and About Women in Engineering & Technology March 7, 2011. PI: Suzanne G. Brainard, PhD Co-PI: Susan S. Metz.

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Elizabeth Litzler, PhD University of Washington

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  1. How do gender and race/ethnicity intersect to impact students' perceptions of experiences in engineering? Elizabeth Litzler, PhD University of Washington Global Marathon For, By and About Women in Engineering & Technology March 7, 2011 PI: Suzanne G. Brainard, PhD Co-PI: Susan S. Metz Funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation

  2. Importance • Little on gender & race in engineering • Research & theory tells us that it matters (Hooks 1981, Spelman 1988) • Disaggregation by gender and race/ethnicity is often difficult for engineering disciplines—PACE data makes it possible. Funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation

  3. Objectives • Introduce PACE • Quick overview of methodology • Findings • Professor-Student Interaction • Student-Student Interaction • Confidence • Risk of Attrition Litzler, E., Jaros, S., Metz, S., & Brainard, S.G. (2010). “Gender and Race/Ethnicity in Engineering: Preliminary Findings from the Project to Assess Climate in Engineering.” 2010 ASEE conference: Louisville, KY. Funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation

  4. PACE Goals • Improve retention among engineering undergraduates • Action steps to achieve this goal: • Data, Benchmarking, Recommendations, Follow-ups • 22 Schools • Funded by Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation

  5. PACE Schools Funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation

  6. Online Survey PACE Online Survey • Current engineering students • Oversampled under-represented groups • > 10,000 completions (28%) Funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation

  7. Survey Respondent Demographics Funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation

  8. School Representation • African American survey respondents • No one school >13 percent • Every school contributes • Hispanic American Survey Respondents • One school = 22 percent • Two schools combined contribute 28 percent • All other schools contribute Funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation

  9. Focus of Analyses • Differences and similarities in four main areas: • Professor-Student Interaction • Student-Student Interaction • Confidence • Risk of Attrition Funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation

  10. Analysis Methods • 2 x 2 Contingency Tables • 5 point scales reduced to binary variables • Chi-Square: Are two variables associated? • Adjusted Residuals: Where is the association? • Values > |2| • Odds Ratios: How strong is the association? • OR=1=no effect, OR>1=increase in odds, OR<1=decrease in odds Funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation

  11. Professor-Student Interaction Never, Rarely, Sometimes=1 and Usually, All the Time=2 • Do your professors inspire you to study engineering? • Are you comfortable asking questions in class? • Do your professors care whether or not you learn the course material? Funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation

  12. Professor-Student Interaction Funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation

  13. Student-Student Interaction Never, Rarely, Sometimes=1 and Usually, All the Time=2 • Do you feel like part of an engineering community? • Do other students take your comments/suggestions in class seriously? • Do students compete with each other in classes? • Do engr. students help each other succeed in class? Funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation

  14. Student-Student Interaction

  15. Confidence Strongly Disagree, Somewhat Disagree=1, and Somewhat Agree, Strongly Agree=2 • I am confident in my ability to succeed in my college engineering courses Funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation

  16. Confidence Funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation

  17. Risk of Attrition Strongly Disagree, Somewhat Disagree=1, and Somewhat Agree, Strongly Agree=2 • I have no desire to declare a non-engineering major (e.g. biology, theater, English, philosophy) • I can think of other majors that I would like better than engineering Funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation

  18. Risk of Attrition Funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation

  19. Take Away • Student experiences are diverse at the intersection of race/ethnicity and gender • Race and inspiration • More race differences among females (Interaction) • No gender differences among African Americans • Females less comfortable, confident, more risk of attrition than males (Whites and Hispanics) • Disaggregate whenever possible • Look for interaction effects Funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation

  20. Thank you! Questions? Funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation

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