Factors that Encourage and Facilitate Female Students to Participate and Engage in Technology Education

Abstract

Females are significantly under-represented in Technology Education classrooms in senior secondary schools. Participation rates for female students in Science, Technology, Mathematics and Engineering (STEM) subjects are lower than those of males. Data show that this has a flow on effect on females entering subjects such as Engineering at the tertiary education level. Specifically, Williams (2011) argues that gender issues in Technology Education have been under researched on a world scale, but particularly is under researched in the Australian context. Consequently, this thesis aimed to identify positive influences that encourage female student participation in Technology Education. The topic was examined through three research questions with appropriate research methodologies designed to provide insights into those questions. The first research question asked – what factors have influenced female student’s choices to take Technology Education classes as part of their senior school pathway? The investigation was undertaken through an examination of the social construction of realities from the individual and the collective group point of view (Bijker, Hughes, Pinch, & Douglas, 2012), drawing on theories of women’s ways of knowing by Belenky, Clinchy, Goldberger and Tarule (1986). The second research question asked - how teaching and learning was conducted and approached in selected Technology Education classrooms? The study investigated Year 11 female students in three secondary schools. In doing so, the ecology of the learning environment, the context of the learning and social interactions were analysed and triangulated from the staff, student, and administrators perspectives. The third research question asked - what values were addressed in the teaching and learning in specific contexts in Technology Education classrooms? This aspect examined the multifaceted interpretation of values and analysed the engagement of youth and the teaching staff with the concept of values.