ERIC Number: EJ1411313
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2024
Pages: 17
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0018-1560
EISSN: EISSN-1573-174X
Available Date: N/A
Unpacking the Gendered Interactions and Relationship among Students in Male-Dominated Programs: Perspectives of Female Students in Mechanical Engineering in Ghana
Higher Education: The International Journal of Higher Education Research, v87 n1 p131-147 2024
Growing evidence has underscored the importance of female students' relationships and interactions in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) programs as crucial factors influencing their thriving within these programs. However, the discourse has seen a dearth of literature, especially in low-middle-income countries where deep-rooted cultural norms and values may complicate female students' interactions and relationships with their peers (male students and female colleagues). Drawing on a phenomenological approach, we engaged female students in Mechanical Engineering at a Ghanaian university to share their experiences studying in such a hardcore male-dominated space with a focus on how they interact and relate with their peers. Data from participants were analyzed thematically using NVivo. Female students who participated in the study revealed that the daily interactions with their peers reinforced gendered norms, illuminating male students' superiority in the program. Female students further asserted that the support from their male counterparts influenced their apathetic attitudes towards their female colleagues because they felt they had nothing to offer them academically, financially, and socially in the program. We argue the need to alter the perception of female students and promote a sense of relationship among them through seminars and support from women in STEM occupations.
Descriptors: Gender Differences, Engineering Education, Foreign Countries, Phenomenology, Educational Experience, Females, Student Attitudes, Disproportionate Representation, Peer Relationship, STEM Careers, Seminars
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Ghana
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A