Women's career development: Can theoretically derived variables predict persistence in engineering majors?

Abstract

Factors related to persistence in engineering, particularly for women, were examined in 278 upper level undergraduate women and men who, as entering students, enrolled in the college of engineering at a large midwestem university. An overall model of persistence was created by integrating constructs derived from a number of theories relevant to women's career behavior, including self-efficacy theory, expectancy-valence theory, interest congruence theory, and influences on women's career development. Hierarchical logistic regression revealed that ability, self-efficacy, support-barriers, and interest congruence each added significantly to the model predicting persistence, which correctly identified 92.6% of persisters and 623% of nonpersisters. Gender and expectancy-valence variables were not significant predictors, nor were any of the 2-way interactions with gender. Implications for future research and interventions are discussed.Women's career development has received increasing attention since the 1940s when women began entering the workforce in significant numbers. Although they currently make up over half the employees in the entire U.S. workforce (U.S. Department of Labor, 1993), women are drastically underrepresented in mathematics, the physical sciences, and engineering (Betz, 1994; U.S. Department of Labor, 1994). In 1992, for instance, only 9% of engineers, 13% of physicists and astronomers, and 11% of geologists were women (National Science Board, 1993).Given projected shortfalls of engineers, mathematicians, and scientists (American Association of University Women, 1991;Brush, 1991; National Research Council, 1991), the small numbers of women in these fields may have negative consequences for the future workforce. Women are needed not only to fill vacant positions but also to bring new questions, ideas, and perspectives to these fields and to increase the likelihood that the United States will remain competitive in technological development well into the next century (Wilson, 1992). In addition, increasing women's numbers in the sciences, mathematics, and engineering would benefit individual women, who would be that much less restricted to a range of lower status and lower paying "pink collar" occupations (Betz, 1994;Betz & Fitzgerald, 1987). In fact, engineering has been identified as among the top five most lucrative potential occupations for women (U.S. Department of Labor, 1990).

Sources of Self-Efficacy in Undergraduate Engineering

“…Students with high self-efficacy tend to perform better academically than students with low self-efficacy. Researchers have also reported that mathematics and science self-efficacy are significantly related to students' persistence in engineering 10,11 . Moreover, numerous studies have suggested that individuals' self-efficacy is related to their career-related and academic choices 12,13 .…”

“…Women who pursued careers in mathematics, sciences, and technology consistently reported that the messages sent to them about capabilities in these male-dominated fields served as crucial sources of their self-efficacy 21 , a finding echoed in interviews conducted by Hutchison et al 15 with second-year engineering students. Other researchers have shown more generally that being encouraged by peers and faculty makes students more likely to put forth effort and persevere in their majors 4,11,15 .…”

Using Neural Network and Logistic Regression Analysis to Predict Prospective Mathematics Teachers’ Academic Success upon Entering Graduate Education

“…Studies by Jun (2005) and Herrera (2006) have provided a comprehensive overview of theoretical models that describe student continuation and dropout rates in both distance education institutions and institutions attended in person. Levin and Wyckoff (1991), House (1993), Schaeffers, Epperson, and Nauta (1997), BeserfieldSacre et al (1997), RiCharde (1998), French, Immekus, andOakes (2005) have all used logistic regression models to study student persistence in colleges.…”

Gender and Self-Efficacy in Engineering: Embracing Failure and a Growth Mindset for Female High School Students (Fundamental)

“…Efficacy is based on a level of achievement and the strength of one's belief that the desired level of achievement can be attained [Pajares, 1996]. High selfefficacy in undergraduate STEM students has been linked to persistence (Lent et al, 2003;Margolis & Fisher, 2002;Besterfield-Sacre, Atman & Shuman, 1997) achievement (BesterfieldSacre et al, 1997Lent et al, 2003;Lent, Brown & Larkin, 1987;Schaefer, Epperson & Nauta, 1997) and interest (Hacket, Betz, Casas & Rocha-Singh, 1992;Lent et al, 2003;Lent et al, 1987;Lent, Lopez & Bieschke, 1991).…”