Representation Of Female Students Research Articles

Gender representation and academic achievement among STEM-interested students in college STEM courses.

Substantial gender equity gaps in postsecondary degree completion persist within many science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines, and these disparities have not narrowed during the 21st century. Various explanations of this phenomenon have been offered; one possibility that has received limited attention is that the sparse representation of women itself has adverse effects on the academic achievement-and ultimately the persistence and graduation-of women who take STEM courses. This study explored the relationship between two forms of gender representation (i.e., the proportion of female students within a course and the presence of a female instructor) and grades within a sample of 11,958 STEM-interested undergraduates enrolled in 8686 different STEM courses at 20 colleges and universities. Female student representation within a course predicted greater academic achievement in STEM for all students, and these findings were generally stronger among female students than male students. Female students also consistently benefitted more than male students from having a female STEM instructor. These findings were largely similar across a range of student and course characteristics and were robust to different analytic approaches; a notable exception was that female student representation had particularly favorable outcomes for female students (relative to male students) within mathematics/statistics and computer science courses.

Exploring strategies to improve gender equity in a masculinized field of study

Female student representation in PGA golf management academic programs has consistently hovered below 5%. The reasons for this low representation are unclear, although the masculine nature of the golf industry has been well documented and may be contributing factor. Through the use of focus groups with faculty directors of PGA golf management academic programs and PGA industry professionals, this study sought to identify barriers and facilitators women face when enrolled in PGA golf management programs. Findings point to changes in policies and practices that could contribute to an improved rate of persistence for women in these unique academic programs.

ACCESS TO HIGHER EDUCATION AND SOCIAL INEQUALITIES: SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE STUDENTS OF THE SCHOOL OF EDUCATIONAL SCIENCES

The article investigates inequalities in access to higher education. This issue became of particular concern both in Greece and at the international level. The aim of this study was to investigate the socio-demographic characteristics of students of the School of Educational Sciences and their changes during 2001-2009 on such criteria as: a) the father's profession; b) the mother's profession; c) the level of education of the mother and d) the gender of students. Students of Schools of Educational Sciences constituted the reference population of this research. It was established that students of Schools of Educational Sciences сame from a environment with low economic, educational and capital. The representation of female students in that type of institution was five times higher than that of male students, reflecting societal stereotypes of children's education as a female profession. In the last years of the period under the review these peculiarities of the students' contingent have become less pronounced due to the increase in the number of students from families with high educational level of parents and an increase in male students. However, Schools of Educational Sciences still remain one of the social elevators for people from the lower classes of society.

Gender Disparities at Higher Education in Kenya: A Case of Moi University

The purpose of this study was to understand the gender representation in higher education in Kenya, particularly at the Moi University in Eldoret, Kenya. The study was carried out in the 1995/96 academic year and focused on selected faculties and schools in regard to gender disparities in University enrolment at undergraduate level. Proportionate random sampling technique was employed in identifying the respondents to this study. The questionnaire and document analysis guide were the key instruments used in this study. For secondary data, the study used Document Analysis Guide which was used to collect data from the university authorities and the Ministry of Education Statistics Division and number of candidates who sat for Kenya Certificate for Secondary Education in the years 1990-93. Primary data was collected by questionnaires. The questionnaire return rate was 70%. This return rate was therefore considered sufficient to provide the required information. Data from the questionnaire and the Document Analysis Guide were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Gender representation data was analysed per faculty. Findings from the study indicated revealed that female student enrolment at Moi University is quite low compared to male enrolment. The most affected faculties are Wildlife Management and Technology and Forestry Resources represented by 6.38% and 13.4% respectively. Other Science based courses had at least more than 20% of the female student representation. Even in the arts based faculties, parity is far from being achieved. This calls for concerted efforts to increase the female student enrolment at the university level in Kenya particularly in the fields of Science and Technology.

Is the Lack of Women in Philosophy a Universal Phenomenon? Exploring Women's Representation in Greek Departments of Philosophy

Although recent empirical research suggests that there is a gender gap in Anglophone philosophy, no research has been done on the representation of women in non‐Anglophone philosophy. The present study constitutes a first step toward filling this void in the literature by providing empirical evidence on the representation of female students and female faculty members in Greek universities' departments of philosophy. Our findings indicate that the underrepresentation of female students in philosophy is not a universal phenomenon, since female students constitute the majority of philosophy students in Greece at both the undergraduate and the graduate levels. However, our findings also suggest that the low number of women in philosophy at the faculty level is not a problem unique to Anglophone philosophy, since female faculty members comprise, on average, only 29% of philosophy faculty members in Greece. In order to explain these findings, we argue, first, that the teaching of philosophy at the secondary level may motivate female students in Greece to enter and persist in philosophy, and, second, that since the gender gap at the faculty level in Greece cannot be attributed to the low number of female students in the philosophy pipeline, the causes of women's poor participation in philosophy at the faculty level should be looked for elsewhere.

Computing and STEM in Greece: Gender representation of students and teachers during the decade 2002/2012

Female student representation in Computing and Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Tertiary education is under-researched in a number of countries including Greece, while studies on female secondary level education teacher representation in Computing and STEM have not yet been reported. This study focuses on the investigation of gender representation of tertiary-level education students (freshmen, graduates, master's degree graduates and PhD's) and of secondary-level education teachers in Computing and STEM education during the decade 2002---2012 in Greece. A quantitative study was conducted taking into account appropriate data that emerged from the Hellenic Statistical Authority which is the national statistical service of Greece. During the studied decade:(a) Females were less prevalent than males at all levels of study in Computing and Engineering, (b) the number of males did not exceed that of females in Physics (freshmen, graduates and master's degree holders) or in Mathematics (graduates),(c) Female teachers were less prevalent than males in Computing and STEM,(d) Computing female schoolteachers are better represented at all levels of secondary education compared to the representation of their female counterparts in the rest of the disciplines of STEM education,(e) There is no pipeline shrinkage between female freshmen and graduates of undergraduate studies in Computing and STEM and there was also no female dropout from level (undergraduate studies) to level (master's degree studies) in Greek Computing, Physics and Engineering departments. It seems that the main problem is recruitment and not retention in Computing and STEM, despite female under-representation in most of these disciplines.

The Glass Door Remains Closed: Another Look at Gender Inequality in Undergraduate Business Schools

The authors investigated women's underrepresentation in undergraduate business schools by analyzing a broad sample of Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)–accredited U.S. business programs between 2003 and 2011. They found that while there was an increase in the number of male students enrolled in the AACSB-accredited colleges, women's representation declined from 44.7% in 2003 to 41.1% in 2011. By using a variety of variables that describe school access, educational environment, and women's experience, the authors found that (a) economic incentives play a role in female students’ decision to enroll; (b) female student representation is lower at larger institutions; and (c) women-friendly institutional factors have a positive effect on women's representation at undergraduate business schools. The authors examine the implications of the decline of women's enrollment on business schools, industry, and the economy, and make recommendations on how to address this trend.

Gender Equality in Public Higher Education Institutions of Ethiopia: The Case of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics

Abstract Ensuring gender equality in higher education system is high on the agenda worldwide particularly in science disciplines. This study explores the problems and prospects of gender equality in public higher education institutions of Ethiopia, especially in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Descriptive survey and analytical research methods were used in the study. Subjects of the study consisted of university instructors, higher education institutions gender affairs officers, and female students. Gender-related policy documents were also used as sources of data. Questionnaire, interviews, and documents analyses were employed as tools of data collection. The data were analysed using mixed methods. The study revealed a serious under representation of female students in science disciplines in the contemporary Ethiopian public higher learning institutions. The paper discusses both the core factors that discourage women from pursuing sciences and suggestions which may assist them join and succeed in sciences.

Gender Inequality in Undergraduate Business Schools: The Glass Door Effects

This study examined female underrepresentation in business schools among undergraduate students and faculty in a sample of universities in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education and compares the findings to other public universities in Pennsylvania. We found that during the 1995–2008 period, when compared with other academic disciplines, female student representation in business programs was lower than in other colleges and actually had declined over time. Similarly, female business faculty representation was lower than the average female representation at their respective universities. The majority of previous studies examined the “glass ceiling effect” to describe the impediments that women face in their quest for executive positions in the business world. This study attempted to shed light on possible obstacles that women face at the entry to the business world and discusses challenges to recruiting and retaining female students and faculty in business programs. The implications of these findings are imperative for maintaining diverse education and industry environments, which can have long-term economic consequences for society at large. The importance of this issue was highlighted in the recently passed Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.

Gender Inequality in Undergraduate Business Schools: The Glass Door Effects

This study examined female underrepresentation in business schools among undergraduate students and faculty in a sample of universities in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education and compares the findings to other public universities in Pennsylvania. We found that during the 1995–2008 period, when compared with other academic disciplines, female student representation in business programs was lower than in other colleges and actually had declined over time. Similarly, female business faculty representation was lower than the average female representation at their respective universities. The majority of previous studies examined the “glass ceiling effect” to describe the impediments that women face in their quest for executive positions in the business world. This study attempted to shed light on possible obstacles that women face at the entry to the business world and discusses challenges to recruiting and retaining female students and faculty in business programs. The implications of these findings are imperative for maintaining diverse education and industry environments, which can have long-term economic consequences for society at large. The importance of this issue was highlighted in the recently passed Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.

Gender openness in managerial education: a sport management focus

PurposeThe purpose of this research paper is to examine the effect of gender openness on female student representation within sport management preparation programs.Design/methodology/approachA questionnaire was sent to 172 undergraduate and graduate sport management preparation programs within North America and 72 completed surveys were returned. These data were used to test confirmatory factor and structural equation models at the undergraduate (n=47) and graduate levels (n=47).FindingsResults show that gender openness progresses sequentially and is an effect of programmatic size.Research limitations/implicationsThe primary limitation of this research investigation was the utilization of a cross‐sectional design given the topic sensitivity. Despite its cross‐sectional focus, the study offers important insight about gender openness and inclusion for female students within sport management education.Originality/valueThis study utilized a non‐standard approach by examining programs relative to gender openness in sequence as they relate to women in management education. This refreshed approach should be valued by scholars and practitioners alike.

Diversity programs: influencing female students to sport management?

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of diversity programs on female student representation within sport management preparation programs. A questionnaire was sent to 172 undergraduate and graduate sport management preparation programs at the North American Society for Sport Management member institutions and 72 completed surveys were returned. These data were used to test a confirmatory path model at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Results show that diversity programs continue to be developed, and that diversity program leads to increase female student representation within undergraduate and graduate sport management preparation programs. Based on the findings of this study, student diversity programs are assisting to eradicate barriers for women in the sport management profession.

Losing them is not an option. Women in higher positions in the natural sciences are few and far between. As society cannot afford to lose them and the investment in their education, the question is, what to do about it?

Science is a man's world. By looking at the composition of most science societies, grant committees or the speaker lists of scientific meetings, it becomes clear that women are not equally represented in the scientific realm. This is all the more astonishing as women have successfully proven that they have the same capabilities as men. Is it because women are less interested in a career in academic life, or are men actively defending one of their last bastions against the intrusion of the other sex? To address the question of whether the unequal representation of women in the life sciences is due to discrimination or decision, the European Molecular Biology Organisation organised a meeting entitled ‘The glass ceiling for women in the life sciences’ in Heidelberg, Germany. For two days in June 2001, more than 100 women scientists, many of them in leading positions in the European and US science landscapes—and unfortunately fewer than 10 men—met and discussed possible reasons for the gender inequality and measures to overcome the unfair male dominance of higher positions. The debates, often engaging and lively, showed that many men at the higher levels indeed still do not regard women as equally capable colleagues. ‘And then I was more successful than all my colleagues [at the Max Planck Society], and they couldn't bear it,’ Christiane Nusslein‐Volhard, a German Nobel laureate from the Max Planck Institute in Tubingen, described her experience as a women scientist rising through the male‐dominated German research landscape. But apart from active discrimination at the higher levels, women also face other problems—particularly when faced with the decision about having children—that most men do not have to consider. Mary Clutter: ‘It's better to be in a position of power than not be in a position of power’. ![][1] > Although in many countries the number … [1]: /embed/graphic-1.gif