Women Studying Science and Technology: How Do They Succeed ?
Karin Overdilk
Group Women & Technology, The Netherlands.

ABSTRACT
A remarkable characteristic of the Western educational system is the under representation of women
in technical and scientific fields of study.  It is believed that effective social integration in the
academic success. Given the male-dominated educational context that is provided by a technical
university, the question is whether this process develops in the same way for female and male
students.  Though nowadays in the Netherlands we find no systematic sex differences in academic
success, this doesn't mean that female and male students reach success in the same way.

In a longitudinal study we examined the social behaviour of 169 students that enrolled in 1969.  We
inquired about perception of the academic environment and about social interactions between
students and between students  and staff.   Our findings suggest that the process of social integration
develops in a different way for female and male students.  Especially women seem to respond to
social experiences, and successful female students create a social network in which fellow students
play an important part.Possibility of success in s&t , Social factors in S&T studies, Factors in women's
S&T education.
 

INTRODUCTION

In this paper, first the position of Dutch female students in relation to technical and scientific
education will be depicted.  Then theoretical outlines of the relation between social integration and
academic success are described.  Finally results of a longitudinal study among female and male
undergraduate engineering students are presented.

1.  Female students at higher (technical) education:

Since 1975 the proportion of female students at the Dutch universities in general has increased from
25% to 40% at this moment.  The highest proportion of female students can be found in Departments
of Social and Cultural Sciences and Psychology.

In the Netherlands there are three technical universities, where one can study technical and scientific
disciplines, ranging from Mining to Industrial Engineering. The Dutch educational system requires
high school students in their fourth year to select courses. If they do not choose to study
mathematics and physics at a certain level, it is in fact not possible to enroll in a technical university,
since science courses are compulsory.

Recently there is a slight increase in the number of female technical students.  Looking at the
enrollment figures of the Eindhoven University of Technology both an absolute and a relative
increase of the number of female technical can be noticed.  Between 1960 and '75 female students
made out less than 3% of the population.  Nowadays 12% of all students is female, and even almost
15% of all freshmen.

This might suggest there is an equal representation of women and men within the various disciplines,
but this is far from true.  Distributions of female and male students across the various departments are
different.  Shortly, three types of disciplines can be distinguished: there is a group of departments
with a relatively high percentage of women students, and a group of departments which traditionally
and currently attract very few women.  Finally there are departments which have shown a
considerable expansion of enrollment of women in the past few years.  Apparently some departments
are more attractive to women than others (Overdijk, 1988).

Looking only at numbers, it's clear that women students hold a special position within technical and
scientific education.  The question is whether this situation influences academic success.  Studies
about educational achievement of technical students have found no systematic differences in dropout
rates between women and men.  But in the past, the group of female engineering students was such a
minority, that dropout figures of women did not influence the overall dropout rate of engineering
students.

Now that the share of female students in technical and scientific disciplines is increasing, the question
of effect on study progress is getting more and more relevant.  Besides, it is often suggested that
factors which influence academic success, are not the same for women and men.  Just because of the
low participation of female students in engineering education, it seems possible that women and men
respond in a different way to a male-dominated environment.  That is why it is important to study
perception and behaviour of female and male technical students.

Our research was conducted among undergraduate female and male engineering students.  The term
undergraduate student is used here to define students who have not (yet) passed the propaedeutical
exam.  Our aim was to compare the experiences of women and men students.  Besides we were
interested in differences between students of various disciplines.

In order to distinguish between distinct academic settings, we have categorized students according to
"department cluster".   This term implies a combination of one or more departments which differ in
content  (a purely technical engineering  department as opposed to a field with more social content)
as well as in the proportion of women students (from relatively few to relatively many).  The students
have been chosen from five different departments which for the purpose of our study have been
grouped into three clusters:  Architecture (with an average of 25% female students), Industrial 
Engineering (about 15% women), Electrical and Mechanical Engineering and Physics (the
department cluster with the fewest female students, 5%).

2.  Social integration and academic success

Studies have shown that the existence of a minority within an institution or organization effects the
group culture as well as the behaviour of the individuals within the group.  The size of the minority
has also been found to play a role (Kanter, 1977 ; Ott, 1985; Yoder, 1994). Given that group
composition appears to effect the academic development of women and men at university (Beekes &
Van Doorne - Huiskes, 1988), it can be assumed that in a male-dominated setting, the academic
experiences of women and men will be different.

Academic success can be seen as the result of the educational process.  In accordance with Tinto's
model (1985) we have made the assumption that this success is promoted by the studentΥs adequate
social integration into the academic setting.  University statistics have shown that women and men are
equally successful at completing their studies.  On the other hand, we would expect to find
differences in the process of social integration when comparing female and male students, and
comparing students at departments with different proportions of female students ( Bean, 1985;
Bijleveld, 1993; Dronkers, 1976; Tinto, 1975, 1982).

We  recognize social integration as the result of social behaviour in the academic context.  Social
behaviour is specified as both objectively observable factors like acts and subjective impressions like
perceptions.  In our investigation we recognize two subcategories of the process of social integration,
namely the processes  of information gathering and of interaction with others.  Combined with acts
and perceptions - which together make up social behaviour - we have distinguished four domains. 
The first domain concerns with behaviour in academic situations and the second with perception of
academic settings.  the third and fourth  domain are respectively dealing with behaviour and
perception in social situations.  In this paper we focus on domain 2 and r : impressions of academic
and social experiences.

The conceptual model on which this investigation is based, presumes that occurrences leading towards
social integration can contribute to determining academic success.  Moreover, we assumed that factors
like gender and department cluster would influence a studentΥs success indirectly, that is, through
social integration.  We expected that high school grades would have an immediate influence on
success.

The research project started in the spring of 1990.  The data were obtained from questionnaires
which were  distributed among first year students.  By the first count 240 students were invited to
participate.  The response rate was 70%, resulting in a research sample of 169 students (see table 1)


Table 1 Research group by sex and department cluster; count 1 and 2:
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		 Architecture  	Ind.Engineering  Techn.Engineering  	Total
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Count 1:
Women  		28           	26        	  24         	 78(46%)
Men   			28           	28          	  35         	  91(54%)
total 			56(33%)   	54(32%)       	  59(35%)    	169    

Count 2:
Women  		15           	19          	  15         	  49(41%)
Men    			24          	 21          	  26         	  71(59%)
total  			39(33%)      	40(33%)    	  41(34%)    	120

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A year later, in april 1991, 120 of the respondents were still available for questioning and still
enrolled in the same field of study.  The exam results were obtained from the Student Administrative
Office and provided a third set of data.

The data were explored using chi2- and two-way-analysis of variance with the factors sex and
department cluster.  Finally we examined relations between aspects of social behaviour and success
with regression analysis.

3.  Students' academic success and social behaviour

* results of success

All 169 freshmen were inspected on the factor academic success.  As was expected, students of the
identified categories proved to be equally successful in passing the propaedeutical exam (table 2). 
Although less women (69%) than men (79%) succeed, the difference between them is not significant
(chi2-3.3, P<.07).

Table 2 Count 3; passing the P-exam, by sex and department cluster



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Success     	Women	    Men   Arch. 	Ind.Eng.  Techn.Eng. Total 
no diploma    	    24   	     19      11        13           19          43(25%)
diploma      	    51         71      42        40           40         122(72%)
diploma else* 	      3           1        3          1           -               4(2%)
total        	    78         91      56        54           59         169(99%)
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*these students switched from field of study within the university and succeeded in their new
department
-  results of social behaviour

We asked students, both in their first and second year of study, how they perceive their academic
environment in general, and how they experience studying in their department in particular.  They
were instructed to judge 28 five point scale  statements, concerning 16 items on academic and 12 on
social situations.  Factor analysis was applied on these data, and twice four factors were derived.

Table 3 Perception of academic situations in first (n=169) and second (n=120) year of study;
average score (and deviation)

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					 Average   Women   	Men  	Arch.  Ind.Eng. Techn.Eng. 

count 1.
atmosphere  		  3.6(.7)   	  3.8 	 ** 3.4  	4.1 	***3.4	***3.3
difficult   			  3.4(.8)   	  3.5 	***3.2  	3.3 	***3.1	***3.7
student life			  2.9(.7)   	  3.1 	***2.7  	2.9              2.9 	 	    2.9
university  			  3.2(.6)   	  3.2    		 3.1  	3.1 	***3.0	***3.4
atmosphere  		  3.6(.8)   	  3.6    	       3.5  	4.1 	***3.3	***3.4
difficult   			  3.4(.8)   	  3.5    		 3.4  	3.4  	***3.1	***3.8
student life			  2.6(.7)   	  2.5    		 2.6  	2.4              2.7		    2.7

university  			   3.6(.7)   	  3.8    		3.6  	3.6              3.7 		    3.7
ΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡΡ**p<.01  ***p<.001

In the area of perception of academic situations we identified evaluations of 1. atmosphere in
department, 2. difficulty of field of study, 3. student life and 4.  university (table 3).  First year
females turn out to be more positive about the ambience (F(1,161)=8.2,p<.01) and life as a student
(F(1,161)=10.9, p<.001) than their male counterparts.  On the other hand, women experience their
study as more complicated than men do (F(1,161)=9.8, p<.001).  The impression is that most gender
differences disappear in the course of time.  Dissimilarities in department cluster appear to be
consistent:  Architecture students of the other cluster (count 1:F(2,161)=24.7, p<.001; count 2:F
(2,113)=15.6, p<.001) and technical engineering students perceive their study as more demanding
than others do (count 1:F(2,161)=9.4, p<.001; count 2:F(2,114)8.7, p<.001).  Technical engineering
freshmen are also more satisfied with aspects of the chosen university than other students
(F(2,162)=6.3, p<.001).

In  the  perception of social situations we distinguished four factors: 1. admission to staff, 2.demand
for serious contact with staff,  3.  attachment to other students and 4.  satisfaction with proportion
male/female students (table 4).

Table 4 Perception of social situations in first (n=169) and second (n=120) year of study; average
score (and deviation).

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					Average   Women  		Men  	Arch.  Ind.Eng.   Techn.eng 
count 1.
adm. staff#   		 2.5(.7)   	 2.5   		2.4  	2.6     * 3.4      	* 3.3
contact staff		 2.9(.8)  	 3.0   		2.9  	3.0         3.1              3.7
att.students  		 4.0(.6)   	 4.1 	 **3.9  	4.0         2.9              2.9
proportion m/f		 2.3(1.1) 	2.9 	***1.9  	2.8  ***3.0      *** 3.4

count 2.
adm. staff    		 2.6(.7)   	2.6   		2.6  	2.8          3.3              3.4
contact staff 		3.0(.9)   	2.9  		 3.1 	 3.2         3.1              3.8
att.students  		3.9(.7)   	4.1  	    *3.9  	 4.1         2.7              2.7
proportion m/f		2.3(1.0) 	3.0 	***1.8 	 2.7  ***3.7         **3.7 

# interaction-effect between sex and department cluster p<.05
* p<.05  ** p<.01  *** p<.001

Both first and second year female students are more positive about contact with other students (count
1:F(1,162)=7.2, p<.01;count 2:F(1,114)=3.7, p<.05) and about the male/female ratio (count
1:F(1,163)=44.4, p<.0001 ; count 2: F (1,114)=73.9, p<.001) than their male colleagues.  There are
also dissimilarities in department clusters: technical engineering students have explicitly more trouble
with the proportion men to women in the academic environment (count 1: F(2,163)=19.0, p<.001;
count 2: F(2,114)=8.9, p<.001).

* results of school grades

An underlying factor which influences the studentsΥ experience consists of the previous schools
grades.  the average grade for language (a combination of Dutch, English, French and German,
scored on  a ten point scale with 6=adequate and 10=excellent) is 6.8.  Female engineering students
have slightly higher grades than males (Mf=6.9 and Mm=6.7, F(1,159)=3.9, p<.05).  The average
grade (M=7.2) for exact courses (combined grades of mathematics, science and chemistry) shows
even more dissimilarities.  Women students have lower grades than men (Mf=7.0 and Mm=7.4,
F(1,159)=6.0, p<.05), while Architecture and Industrial Engineering students performed worse than
technical engineering students (M Arch=6.9, M I.E=7.1, and Mt.e=7.6, F(2,159)=16.3, p<.001).

*relations between academic success and social behaviour

With regression analysis we examined how aspects of social behaviour can explain variations in
success.  If only factors of perception of academic and social situations are considered, variety in
passing the propaedeutical exam (R2=.15, F(2,158)=13.5) is best explained by perceived difficulty
of study (beta=-.36, p<.001) and by admission to staff (beta=.15, p<.05).  In other words: the less a
student experiences his field of study as demanding and the more positive she or he is about access to
staff, the greater the chance one succeeds.

If also high school grades are taken into account, variations in success can be explained (R2=.23,
F(3,151)=15.2) by difficulty (beta=-.25,p<.001) and average grades for exact courses (beta=.26,
p<.001) and languages (beta=.16,p<.05).  Students with a higher average in high school have an
advantage over students with lower grades: they have more chance of passing their propaedeutical
exam, especially if they experience their field of study as less demanding.

Variations in academic success are primarily explained through variables which express capability or
aptitude.  This includes grade average and the studentsΥ opinion of how difficult the subject is.  In
both areas we have mathematics and science, and they experience their subject as more difficult and
demanding.  In spite of gender differences in several aspects of social behaviour which make a
relevant contribution to academic success, it appears that female and male students are equally
successful.  We can conclude from this that men and women have different means of attaining
academic success.

We have come to the conclusion that while female and male students do not differ in their  actual
chances of passing exams, women do experience different obstructions from men.  In fact, because of
the male - dominated character of the university of technology, women encounter more obstacles
than men.  Women and men are dissimilar in their social contacts.  Women find more support in their
direct circle than men do and it is therefore particularly important for her that the setting is conducive
to making social contacts.

Women and men are unanimous in their opinions that the technical engineering departments are the
most demanding and the students of those departments report the least satisfaction.  The atmosphere
at the university seems to matter more to women, yet the fact that they are represented in such small
numbers contributes to that atmosphere. If it is true that a greater representation of women is good
for the ambience at a university, then it is important that more women choose to study engineering. 
Their present minority position, however, does not prevent women form gaining pleasure and
fulfilment from their education, so that they are just as successful as men.


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