Board 135: Reflecting on 20 Years of the Attracting Women into Engineering (AWE) Workshop

Ahmed, Mahaa Mayeesha; Basantis, Melanie; Jahan, Kauser

doi:10.18260/1-2--32244

Cited by 2 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 1 publication

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“…Technological practice must change due to increasing these complexities. Diversity is one of the changes that may assist this process (Ahmed et al, 2019;Weber, 2012).…”

Section: Sector Issuesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Innovative professional development for teachers of technology in New Zealand: The Mātanga Project

Fox-Turnbull

2023

AJTE

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The Mātanga (Māori term for expert) project aimed to engage teachers with needs-based professional development with a particular focus on the teacher participants’ perspectives of their developing understandings. This article also explores the subsequent impact on teachers’ students as a result of their engagement with professional learning and development (PLD) in New Zealand. The PLD programme, funded by the Ministry of Education’s Network of Expertise Initiative and delivered by Technology Education New Zealand (TENZ), was designed to foster teachers’ engagement with the technology education curriculum. It also aimed to develop teachers’ specialist identity by focusing on notions of technological and technical thinking, by matching teachers with Mātanga experts. Research findings indicate that teacher professional development was significant. Participants developed a deeper understanding of the benefits of authentic technological practice, as well as the technology curriculum. Some participants also obtained a deeper understanding of the nature of responsive pedagogies, and the role of reflection in professional practice. The programme motivated technology teachers, which translated into a more positive learning environment for their students. Feedback was also sought on the Mātanga Project’s professional development model. Participants identified a number of key benefits gained through their participation. Specialist participants gained an appreciation for the theoretical and historical perspectives of technology, while generalist participants valued their increased curriculum knowledge. Participants found the year-long approach beneficial, particularly because they had access to experts in their area of technology. Participants also identified some limitations for the first iteration of the PLD and suggested improvements for the future.

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“…Technological practice must change due to increasing these complexities. Diversity is one of the changes that may assist this process (Ahmed et al, 2019;Weber, 2012).…”

Section: Sector Issuesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Innovative professional development for teachers of technology in New Zealand: The Mātanga Project

Fox-Turnbull

2023

AJTE

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“…The self-image of children aged 11-13 years leads to critical decisions about the broad sector of their future careers [28,32,35]. At this age, critical career decisions are based on self-perception, especially related to selfperceptions of maths and science abilities [2,22,55]. Bandura [3], Bandura [4] defines self-efficacy as people's judgement about their own capabilities to perform.…”

Section: Perception Of Self and Attitudementioning

confidence: 99%

Influencing Factors Impacting Women to select Engineering- A Range of Perspectives

Moridnejad

Fox-Turnbull²,

Docherty³

2022

PCEEA

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To find solutions to complex problems, engineering practice needs to adapt and embrace diverse thinking. The lack of female participation in engineering fields, in the western world including New Zealand, at the tertiary education level (post secondary/high school level e.g., university, polytechnic, etc.) has been a barrier for diversity, equity and innovation in both the industry and academic professions. Non-diverse professions miss out valuable contributions and new ways of approaching problems that a varied workforce brings. New Zealand needs to mitigate the gender bias to ensure a diversity of skills and knowledge in the engineering profession is fostered. This paper presents findings from three studies as part of a larger research project aimed at investigating influencing factors that contribute to female participation in engineering studies at the tertiary level in New Zealand. In the three studies researchers explored student teachers, current polytechnic engineering students and high school students’ perceptions, experiences, and influences related to engineering. The first study investigated future teachers of children aged 11-13 years perceptions of engineering and engineers. The second study investigated the impacts and influences that led domestic and international female engineering students choose the Civil Engineering programme at Waikato Institute of Technology (Wintec). The third study investigated the impacts and influences that led to Year 12 and 13 students to enrol in a trades engineering related course at Wintec. The three completed studies deployed qualitative research methods using focus group and individual interviews. The first study found that participants held very strong stereotypical views about who engineers are and described them as: white, male, middle-aged, good at maths and science who may be antisocial, and that they design and build stuff while getting dirty. The second study found that barriers to selection of engineering for women include the school system; lack of career and subject choice guidance available to students at school, lack of promotion of the profession, and society’s perception of engineers as being masculine. The third study found that young women were exposed to strong stereotypical thinking and behaviours throughout their lives that could potentially steer them away from a career in engineering. Other barriers included a lack of timely, accurate career advice, outdated school facilities and inauthentic enactment of curriculum. However, exposure to positive role models and strong support networks, along with developing self-efficacy, assisted them to overcome these barriers enabling them to explore engineering as a potential career pathway. Given the strong stereotypical views about engineering from future teachers, incorrect perceptions about engineering in society and lack of engineering career and subject choice guidance available to students at school, it is not surprising that there is a shortage of females entering engineering fields in New Zealand.

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Board 135: Reflecting on 20 Years of the Attracting Women into Engineering (AWE) Workshop

Cited by 2 publications

References 1 publication

Innovative professional development for teachers of technology in New Zealand: The Mātanga Project

Innovative professional development for teachers of technology in New Zealand: The Mātanga Project

Influencing Factors Impacting Women to select Engineering- A Range of Perspectives

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