The Impact of Cultural Norms on Women*

Abstract

Women student engineers' and professors' classroom experiences, especially their everyday interactions with men student engineers and professors, can be negative. This ethnographic study of the discourse used by professors and students during a sophomore design class demonstrates that some women's difficulties are the result of cultural features of engineering that are only rarely open to redefinition by women. In spite of many engineering educators' sincere commitments to improving women's experiences in engineering education, these cultural features diminish the successes of reform‐minded engineering education. I detail how discourse in whole‐class and teamwork settings indicated the cultural norms of engineering talk and how this discourse reinforced traditional practices that were only rarely open to revision. Also, I comment on the use of ordeals in this classroom. My findings suggest that engineering education must change before inclusion of women is realized. In particular, I suggest the changes needed are complex and include 1) more communication about the ways that cultural norms impact women and other marginalized groups, 2) forums where participants can speak openly without fear of retaliation, and 3) attention to changing those policies and practices that send narrow messages about who engineers are and what engineering might be.

Changes in Latino/a Adolescents' Engineering Self-efficacy and Perceptions of Engineering After Addressing Authentic Engineering Design Challenges

“…7,8,18 The process of socialization and the experiences in engineering helps students develop their sense of belonging and the desire to continue in engineering. 19 Unfortunately, for many underrepresented students the social interactions and experiences in engineering may not lead to the development of an engineering identity, forcing underrepresented students to leave.…”

“…12 She also indicated that in order to fit in, underrepresented students, particularly women, "must appear to accept the existing norms and not openly resist or challenge them" (p. 224). 19 However, identifying with an engineering community may be significantly more difficult for underrepresented students.…”

Inclusion or Exclusion? The Impact of the Intersection of Team Culture and Student Identity and Pathway on Team Diversity

“…Alice also makes use of violent references in speech, "guys who know me know not to ever make me mad because I could probably hurt them (L)," a typical male communication pattern. 25 Alice, as a team leader, openly and repeatedly stated her preference for working with men: "It was all boys, so that was fun." She seemed to be uninterested in team diversity.…”

Exploring Military Veteran Students’ Pathways in Engineering Education

“…By using the powerful lens of intersectionality, this work contributes to the growing field of engineering studies, which considers how social categories are enacted in engineering. 25,26,27,28,29,30 …”