How the girl choosing technology became the symbol of the non-traditional pupil's choice in Sweden

Hedlin, Maria

doi:10.1080/09540253.2010.490206

Cited by 12 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 16 publications

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“…In the early 1960s with a more highlighted technology education within Sweden, the female engineer came to be seen as a symbol for modern Sweden (Hedlin, 2011) but still in the 1990s, Staberg (1994) found that girls had negative experiences of technology education within lower secondary school and the same result recurs in evaluations in 2014 (Swedish Schools Inspectorate, 2014) being viewed as one explanation of the low percentage of female engineering students.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 90%

Female Students Who Succeed within Higher Technical Education – When and why They Choose and Who They are

Engström

2015

Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences

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The importance of interest for and knowledge in technology and natural science among students can in Sweden be traced in political documents and in media debate. An increased need for female students in technical universities is stressed as well. Higher technical education is facing large dropouts and difficulties, including for female students. This study focuses on the female students who succeed in civil engineering programmes in Sweden, when and why they choose and who they are? Data were collected through a questionnaire sent out to all female students enrolled on civil engineering programmes during term 7 (of 10 terms) in Sweden in 2012. By using the Bourdieu's theory and the concept of capital, the study aims to find out who the female civil engineering student seems to be. In total 411 students answered the questionnaire. The questionnaire answers were analysed with SPSS both for descriptions (frequencies and cross tabulation) and classification (cluster analysis) and the aim was to detect different patterns within the material. From the material it is possible to describe the majority of female students on civil engineering programmes, but also to detect four different female student profiles. The research questions will be answered by analysing and discussing patterns detected in the questionnaire answers.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 90%

Female Students Who Succeed within Higher Technical Education – When and why They Choose and Who They are

Engström

2015

Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences

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“…The female car mechanic and the female industrial worker were put forward as paragons of career choices that were made in the spirit of equality between men and women (cf. Hedlin, 2011). Girls being put forward as mechanics and industrial workers must be understood in relation to the labour market for girls being considered precarious.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Swedish Schools and Gender Equality in the 1970s

Hedlin¹

2013

IES

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In Sweden, as in many countries before Sweden, boys' academic achievements are getting considerable attention as the big gender issue. The Swedish gender equality policy that was put on the agenda in the 1970s is now associated with extreme discussions. This study aims to explore how gender equality was discussed in the 1970s, in connection with work on a forthcoming curriculum. The empirical material examined consists of the preparatory work for the Swedish comprehensive school National Curriculum, LGR 80 and the publication Lärartidningen [Teachers' Journal]. In the material, the gender inequality problem was first and foremost discussed in terms of sex-role values that led to sex-linked choices of education and jobs. Hopes that girls would turn to technical education and technical career choices were highly connected to the issue of equality between the sexes. Attention was occasionally drawn to women's second-rate position in society, but mainly the problem of gender inequality was considered to be pupils' attitudes rather than structures and strong cultural norms. Through information and sex-mixed classes the problem would be solved. Thus, in the material examined the gender discussions were rather superficial.

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“…This dualistic allocation carries a hierarchy in terms of subject status: ëthe sciencesí are associated with highstatus traits, such as rationality and objectivity, while ëthe artsí are associated with emotion and subjectivity. It is the construction of these traits as gendered which usually lead to the assignment of these subjects as either masculine or feminine (Hedlin, 2011). The same factors and experiences apply in Ethiopia regarding womenís relationships to STEM.…”

Section: Views Of Females (Stem Is Gendered)mentioning

confidence: 99%

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

Egne

2014

Discourse and Communication for Sustainable Education

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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 underrepresentation 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.

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How the girl choosing technology became the symbol of the non-traditional pupil's choice in Sweden

Cited by 12 publications

References 16 publications

Female Students Who Succeed within Higher Technical Education – When and why They Choose and Who They are

Female Students Who Succeed within Higher Technical Education – When and why They Choose and Who They are

Swedish Schools and Gender Equality in the 1970s

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

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