2017 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Engineering profession has been regarded as a male-dominant field because of the low representation of females (19.2% in U.S. in 2013) [1]. In China, the number of undergraduate students reached 7,213,987 in 2013 [2], however in the field of Engineering, the percentage of females was less than 20% [3]. Therefore, in such a male-dominated context, it is critical to explore female students’ perceived learning experience [4].
This research seeks to explore female engineering students’ learning experience in the context of First-year Engineering Courses. Specifically, we will explore female student’s perceived functional roles in a group project setting.
Benne and Sheats’ typology (1948) classified the types of roles in a group into three functional roles, that is task roles (related to group goals and individual members’ efforts), social roles (i.e. members’ relationship roles within a group), and individual roles (related to the satisfaction of individual needs) [5]. Using this typology as a framework, we explored the different functional roles adopted by female engineering students in the context of group projects.
Methodologically, we adopted a phenemenographic approach in that we focused on exploring the variety of functional roles adopted by female engineering students [6]. Qualitative data from and qualitative interviews were collected. Classroom observation was conducted in three undergraduate Introduction to Engineering courses to observe different female students’ performance in their group and interaction with other members. Also, we interviewed fifteen female engineering students from the class to explore their functional roles.
Based on classroom observation and interviews, we found that female students in different groups have taken on various functional roles. Some girls often proposed to the group new ideas as opinion givers; some girls tried to reconcile the disagreement among other members and relieve tension in conflict situations as a harmonizer; and some girls seemed to be isolates and were not able to integrate into the group. We also explored the factors that were associated with their roles. Group size, ratio of gender, and group dynamics were found to be related to female students’ performance of engagement and group interactions. Low female participants’ representation and male dominance in a group were possible reasons for female students’ marginalization. Students’ personalities, prior learning experiences, instructors’ formative feedback and other factors were found to be closely associated with female students’ performance in a group project context.
This report examined female engineering students’ functional roles in a group project context to understand these students’ learning experience in a male-dominant engineering course. Our findings will provide direct implications for female students’ adoption of different learning strategies in engineering courses. Moreover, such findings can also render insights for engineering professors in their classroom management. Finally, our exploration of female students’ functional roles can be used to inform the design of engineering curriculum and the incorporation of effective and meaningful learning activities for female students.

Bibliography
[1] National Science Foundation (2009). Women, minorities, and persons with disabilities in science and engineering. Retrieved from: https://www.nsf.gov/statistics/2015/nsf15311/tables/pdf/tab2-10-updated-2016-08.pdf
[2] The Ministry of Education of China. (2013). Educational Statistics in 2013. Retrieved from: http://en.moe.gov.cn/Resources/Statistics/edu_stat_2013/2013_en02/
[3] Min, Y. (2013). Study of an adaptive transformation platform of the CDIO in engineering education. Hangzhou: Zhejiang University.
[4] Baker, D., Krause, S., Roberts, C., & Robinson-Kurpius, S. (2007). An intervention to address gender issues in a course on design, engineering, and technology for science educators. Journal of Engineering Education, 96(3), 213-226.
[5] Benne, K. D., & Sheats, P. (1948). Functional roles of group members. Journal of social issues, 4(2), 41-49.
[6] Bowden, J., & Walsh, E. (Eds.). (2000). Phenomenography. Melbourne: RMIT Press