Why Girls Are Not Choosing Technology Education Subjects at Secondary Schools in Queensland - Research Proposal Example

Why girls are not choosing technology education subjects at secondary schools in Queensland Name Tutor Date Table of Contents Why girls are not choosing technology education subjects at secondary schools in Queensland 1 Table of Contents 2 Introduction 3 Translating educational issue into a research design 3 Why the topic is worth researching 4 The target audience and its importance 4 Literature review 5 Type of research method 11 Methodology 11 Data analysis 12 Methods of data collection 13 The lessons that have been learnt 13 Conclusion 13 Works Cited 14 Introduction This paper centers on the concern of girls not pursuing technology education subjects at high school and the disparity that exists between boys and girls. An appropriate research design has been selected to examine the research problem. The paper has explored the various studies that have been done and their findings. It is expected that this paper will add value to research in adult, vocational and technology education. Translating educational issue into a research design The concern that girls are not choosing technology education subjects at secondary schools in Queensland at the same level as boys was translated into a researchable problem. In this case the variables in the problem were identified. Technology education subject is the independent variable. The number of boys and girls are the dependent variable. The researchable problem could be framed as follows; ‘Research study to determine why girls are not choosing technology education subjects at secondary schools in QLD at the same level as boys’ Why the topic is worth researching This research is important since it will shade some light into the issue of girls not pursuing technology education subjects at high school and confirm if the assertion is true or false. The finding in this research will be used to find out the very reasons that make girls not to want to take technology education subjects at high school. It will also be a foundation of determining ways of encouraging or persuading girls to take technology subjects. It will be an additional insight in to the role played by both and girls in computer science and information technology. Whatever is being done to discourage the girls from pursuing technology education subjects will be reversed to try and motivate them. The research will also help in finding ways of bridging the gap between boys and girls in the countries education system. The target audience and its importance The audience of this research will be the teachers or instructors of technology education subjects since they have to know what is happening in the ratio of boys to girls taking the technology education subjects at high school and look for ways of bridging the gap. The second audience will be government since it is influential in allocation of funds and designing of the school curriculum. The government will know the true picture on the ground and act according to change the trend of events. The parents of the boys and girls will be other audience because it is important they get to know what is happening to their children as they pursue education to higher levels. The research will also address the boys and girls themselves since it can contribute in the change of attitude towards technology education subjects. Lastly, the other target group will be fellow researchers who will confirm the claims, add to the findings or fault the limitations of the research. The research is important to all stake holders in adult, vocational and technology education. Literature review According to Valero, the gender imbalance that is being witnessed in choosing technology education subjects at secondary school in Queensland has generated much concern and speculation as to the reason why the case is so (45). Several studies have been carried out with the aim of establishing if this concern about girls avoiding technology education subjects when they get to secondary school in Queensland. According to Mottier and Vries, research that was done previously revolving around learning technologies and gender and other target groups equity, concentrated entirely on machine counting and often examining and comparing the time spent by different groups on the computers (452). Ratios of students to computers and the time by the groups at the computers were considered to be an issue that was very paramount. Research in recent times have suggested that by only spending more time on the computers did not give outcomes that were successful. Very little consideration has been factored in to the variations among marginalized groups and the intersection in the groups or the social building of roles within various learning technologies. Learning technology critical examination by one researcher in the use 80s was an exception to the rule and he predicted successfully that social conditioning together with school practices that were traditional would result into predominantly streaming of girls who were working class into word-processing and majorly white, males who were middle class into programming and other tasks of computer that were considered to be high level and consequently powerful and highly paid positions. This research and others that followed, nevertheless, misread the market of labor and forecast that technology would take up the place of a huge number of workers and merely result into provision of a small number of jobs on the other side (Jenkins 214-5). Statistics from the United States of America prove that the large number of persons needed for employment in this realm and the job creation expanding nature in field that are computer related (Haines 78-81). The government of Australia has provided special allowance for immigrants who already have training in computer science. It was asserted that the new key employment competency was mastery of information technologies. The Victorian Government has recently stated that involvement in IT was no longer optional but an imperative in Vocational Education and Training. In spite of increasing IT importance women continue to be sparsely-represented in the critical area in both employment and education. In yet another study conducted in the late 1990s, one researcher claims that working women of the present generation still find a challenge in the social conditioning legacy and in accessibility to technology in their higher education and in their school year. Moreover there are very few female role models that are available for women working in IT. Blaxter argues that women who are younger are less restricted by these factors and are prepared in a better way to take up their positions in the workforce (47-8). This assertion shows some improvement and it is reflected in the opinions of teachers concerning the vanishing of barriers that are gender related to IT. However, the facts show a different scenario. The trend demonstrate the representation of women that is declining as compared to men studying information technologies and computer science in the universities in Australia commencing in 1992 and emphasis in the increasing as opposed to diminishing problem. There is an under-representation of girls in camps, computer clubs and computer courses and in careers that are computer based and besides they do not spend much time when at home using computers as compared to the boys. In Queensland the enrollment of girls in computer higher level subject (IPT) declined to 33.4% in 1995 from 39.5% in the year 1991. About 70% of teachers of IPT are male as compared to 49 percent general male level in the secondary school system. Computer materials and texts in schools in Australia were confirmed to possess a heavy bias inclined to males who were usually shown in powerful positions relating to computing as compared to roles that were passive assigned to women and girls. Australian girls’ participation in courses computer science at tertiary level ideally ranges from 30 to 10%. At Griffith University the women enrolment figures in course of IT in the year 1996 was below 20% and in the US participation of female in courses in computer science at the level of undergraduate vary from 13% to 36% for students pursuing doctorates. Statistics in the U.S indicate that 681 males in 1991 graduated having obtained a doctorate in computer and information science as opposed to 116 females. Statics from India show participation of female ranging from 8.7 to 6%. In the year 1996 less than two in every ten computer jobs were held by women. It is observed by one researcher that technology has been the greatest strongly gendered of all curriculum areas in schools. Levels that are low of girls’ participation in high level courses in computing may have a growing impact on choices of careers with forecasting agencies of career in Australia forecasting a big upsurge in the number of jobs in information technology that will be created in the future (Stromquist 217). A misconception that is more common has been that males are more able intrinsically in area of computer science as compared to female. An over one hundred meta-analysis of studies by a researcher showed that female and male students had results that were comparable concerning tests on post-instruction. It was found out that girls and boys had achievement scores that was very similar when they had experienced a similar time amount and computer experiences types. In one Scottish studies it was found that despite hesitation initially, women and girls became very confident and pragmatic computer users with experience. Although women and girls have shown equal competence with computers, numerous studies have proved that women and girls usually underrate their potential and abilities in this particular area. Several scholars have concurred that early age gender stereotyping contributed greatly to differentials that are gender related in direct attention and confidence to the difference in toys of children and the dominance of computer games that are male oriented. In another study images were looked at from many computer games and found out an almost total male depiction of characters with the only images that were female being that of a queen who is obese and a princess lying at the prince feet. A researcher noted that almost 80% segment of billion dollar software is particularly marketed and designed for teenage boys whereas close to 2% is aimed at girls. Some researchers have argued that this disparity shows that common sense of girls and pragmatic use of computers compared to ‘macho machine fetish’ of boys. Other says that the earlier experiences of boys with computers resulted into a feeling of familiarity and comfort with machines that avail a platform that is anxiety free to launch into more uses and applications (Rowe and Cresswell 103). Another observable factor in schools has been the males’ student physical dominance who usually see technology and computer as a male domain and apply numerous means of harassment to exclude girls exclusively from use of computer, particularly in situation where is no supervision from the teacher. This is very prominent in use of computer out of regular class lessons like library computer use at lunch time where girls feel unwelcome or out maneuvered physically when attempting to gains access to computer. Harassment of women and girls on-line has been widely reported in the press and the literature (Atweh et al. 206-7) Women rejection and exclusion from technology is aggravated by the technology analysis as a culture that consolidates and expresses relations in men. If technical competence is a masculine gender identity integral part, why should women anticipate aspiration to it? Male may interpret participation of female in areas of IT as a threat to their identity of gender and respond to negative ways or threatening or some girls may see participation in some computer uses to be unfeminine. Even though some important female personalities have significantly contributed to computer technology development, the field history is heavily dominated with male personalities. Some researchers affirm that technology dominance by male happened due to separation of paid and home work during industrialization early stages (Stromquist 34). Women were denied entry to areas and to the trades where technical expertise could be developed and therefore were excluded from becoming a partner who is significant in software operating systems and machines development. It is argued that when women became competent in such areas like word-processing roles tend to be redefined and computer work being undertaken by women was devalued. Computer development historical dominance by males is a step further showing the whole IT culture is sex-stereotyped with the symbolism and language of technology being masculine in nature (Jenkins 102). In the schools girls have been differently treated and usually in ways that are subtle not perceived consciously by students or teachers. Researchers examining interactions in classroom have found out that in classes of IT questions are more likely to be aimed at boys. According to Jenkins, when boys request for assistance they are usually provided with explanations on the way to accomplish the task while the teacher with perform the task for the girls consequently making the girl miss out of important learning experience (75). Text books that are being used are dominated by males’ images in positions that are powerful and very few images of female and usually show subordinate roles. Magazines of computers are improving in their inclusion of commentators and journalists who are female but continue to be dominated by male in their overall stance and imagery. Another barrier is that careers in computer are usually misconceived by students who see these occupations as the domain of nerds in computer working in a fashion that is isolated of programming in computer and nothing else. This image is specifically distasteful to women who are young but many men who are young also do not feel comfortable with unsociable and isolated profession where the big contact is with machines as opposed to people (Cook 89). The work done by one researcher in the identification of the true nature of professions in IT provides a very different scenario from what has been a popular misconception. Women working in high levels of careers in IT possessed one of the highest rates of job satisfaction and showed the social nature of working in teams of IT and assisting others (Zevenbergen and Valero 109) Type of research method In this study quantitative type of research will be used. It is important to collect the statistics of the relevant data available from the government data bases and other places. The number of boys undertaking technology subjects at higher education will be compared with the number of girls undertaking the subjects to confirm the concern that girls are not pursuing technology subjects at higher level. The data collected will be in form of numbers of figures and hence quantitative type of research has been chosen. The relationship between the number of boy and girls and technology education subjects will be determined. Methodology The research will be carried out within a period of twelve months. Considering that the resources available in terms of manpower and finances are limited, the research will be undertaken in about five schools. It will be important to look at the schools records to determine the number of boys and girls who have enrolled in the school in the past five years and to observe the ratio of them to each other who continued to take technology education subjects at higher level. It will be necessary to prepare questionnaires that will be filled out by relevant authorities in these schools. It will be imperative also to design a questionnaire targeting the students themselves at primary level in order to see their likelihood of choosing technology education subjects at high levels. The data will be gathered through out the year of research study and an analysis will be done and the end of this particular year. Data analysis The positive response to a girl taking technology education subject at high school will be indicated by an X, a negative response of a girl not taking technology subject at high school will be denoted by a K. A positive response of a boy taking technology education subject at high school will be denoted by a Y; whereas a negative response of a boy taking a technology education subject at high school will be denoted by a V. Totals of Xs will show the total number of girls willing to take a technology education subject at high school. Totals of Ks will be the total number of girls not willing to take technology education subject at high school. Totals of Ys will show the total number of boys willing to take technology subject at high school and totals of Vs will show the total number of boys not willing to pursue technology education subject at high school. Data collected will be translated into statistical presentation tools that will include bar graphs, line graphs, pie charts, dived circles, tables, and hierarchy triangles to indicate progress. The mean, variance and standard deviation of girls or boys taking or not taking technology education subjects at high school will be determined. Methods of data collection In this research the methods of data collection or data collection tools will include Questionnaires, observation schedules, scales to measure KAP, and interviews. Methods of recording data will include filling out the questionnaires and audio recording. The lessons that have been learnt In this research, it has been established that the way to translate an issue into a researchable problem. It was eye opening to learn the previous research studies that have been done of the same subject and getting to know the various challenges involved in the research. It was interesting to apply the knowledge learnt in class in carrying out a quantitative research. The interpersonal skills gained from this research are enormous and it is important that the situation about boys and girls pursuing technology education subjects has been established. Conclusion It is important to note that the way of translating an issue into a researchable problem has been explored. The importance of the research and its target audience has been explained. The research methodology and the previous work done on the same problem have been explored. The various data collection tools and data analysis has also been tackled. The issue of girls not taking technology education subjects at high school is a matter that raises concern in all stake holders in education sector. Works Cited Valero, P. Mapping Equity and Quality in Mathematics Education. New Mexico: Springer, 2011. Zevenbergen, R. & Valero, P. Researching the socio-political dimensions of mathematics education: issues of power in theory and methodology. New Mexico: Springer, 2004. Atweh, B., Forgasz, H. & Nebres, B. Sociocultural research on mathematics education: an international perspective. London: Routledge, 2001. Popkewitz, T.S., & Rizvi, F., Globalization and the Study of Education. New Jersey: John Wiley and Sons, 2010. Anderson, N. Equity and information communication technology (ICT) in education. New York: Peter Lang, 2009. Stromquist, P.N.Education in a globalized world: the connectivity of economic power, technology, and knowledge. Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield, 2002. Jenkins, E.W. Innovations in science and technology education. Paris: Unesco, 2009. Rowe, K. & Cresswell, J. Boys in School and Society. Victoria: Aunt Council for Ed Research, 2002. Cook, N. Gender Relations in Global Perspective: Essential Readings. Toronto: Canadian Scholars' Press, 2007. Blaxter , L., Hughes, C., & Tight, M., How to Research. Ohio: McGraw-Hill International, 2002. Haines,C.M.C. International women in science: a biographical dictionary to 1950. Minnesota: ABC-CLIO, 2001. Mottier, I. & Vries , M. International Handbook of Technology Education Sense. New Jersey: John Wiley and Sons, 2006. Read More