Navigating Gender Disparities in STEM Students
Description
The study "Navigating Gender Disparities in Ethiopian STEM Students' Self-Efficacy: A Feminist Perspective" examined gender differences in self-efficacy among STEM students at the Bahir Dar University STEM center in Ethiopia using a mixed-method research design, specifically a descriptive survey in a comparative perspective. Semi-structured interviews and questionnaires with a 5-point Likert scale from "Never do at all" to "very highly certain can do" were used to gather data. Out of 186 STEM students in grades 9–12, 75 female and 76 male students completed the questionnaire, yielding 151 responses using an accessible sampling technique. The statistical program SPSS 24 was used to thoroughly evaluate the quantitative data (refer to the data set that is attached). Mean scores and independent samples t-tests were used to compare the levels of self-efficacy among the sexes. Drawing from Bandura's (1997) taxonomy, the study concentrated on five essential components of self-efficacy: self-efficacy in meeting others' expectations, self-efficacy for academic performance, self-efficacy for self-regulated learning, self-efficacy for recruiting social resources, and self-assertive efficacy. With all t-tests demonstrating statistical significance at P < 0.05, the SPSS analysis repeatedly showed that male students had considerably higher levels of self-efficacy than their female counterparts across all five evaluated components. In particular, males scored higher on the grand mean for self-efficacy in using social resources (M = 18.4400) than females (M = 10.2400), with a t-test result of t = -23.287. According to a t-test result of t = -21.818, male students scored M = 27.6533 in self-efficacy for academic success, whereas female students scored M = 16.2667. The grand mean for self-regulated learning was M = 40.613 for men and M = 24.106 for women, with a t-test result of t = -21.729. Males had a grand mean of M = 18.09 versus females' M = 10.94 in terms of self-efficacy to satisfy others' expectations, with a t-test result of t = -18.070. Lastly, male students scored M = 18.200 in self-assertive efficacy compared to female students' M = 11.066, resulting in a t-test result of t = -21.978. The qualitative information acquired through semi-structured interviews further corroborated these quantitative findings, which show that male students typically have a stronger belief in their abilities to ask for help, succeed academically, manage their learning, meet expectations, and assert themselves. The study comes to the conclusion that these findings are consistent with feminist theory, which affirms the reality of discrimination based on gender and emphasizes the urgent need for measures to support women in STEM.
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Steps involved in Data Collection • In the study "Navigating Gender Disparities in Ethiopian STEM Students' Self-Efficacy: A Feminist Perspective," the following steps were involved in the data collection technique: • Research Design and Approach: From a comparative standpoint, the study used a descriptive survey research design with a mixed-method approach that combined quantitative and qualitative techniques. • Target group and Sampling: The STEM students at Ethiopia's Bahir Dar University STEM center were the target group. All 186 STEM students in grades 9–12 in 2022 were included using the sample techniques that were available. • Instrument Development and Piloting: A questionnaire served as the main instrument for gathering quantitative data. A 5-point Likert scale, with "Never do at all" to "very highly certain can do" as the extremes, was used to compose the questionnaire's items. In order to improve communication with respondents in their mother tongue, the questionnaires and semi-structured interview questions were first developed in English and subsequently translated into Amharic. 18 students who were not involved in the original study participated in a pilot study of the instrument prior to the main study. Changes were made after consulting with two psychology department colleagues and taking into account feedback from this piloting phase, which included unclear phrases or directions. The reliability of the questionnaire was evaluated using the Cronbach Alpha coefficient, which produced a trustworthy result of 0.89. • Ethical Clearance and Consent: Prior to starting data collection, researchers received approval from the heads of the STEM centers at Bahir Dar University (BDU). After receiving consent papers, participants received a detailed explanation of the study's goals. In order to participate in the study, participants gave their written consent. Additionally, they received assurances that their information would be kept confidential and that the study report would use pseudonyms rather than their real identities. • Data Administration: All 186 STEM students were given the questionnaire. • Response Gathering: Out of the 186 students, 151 students—75 females and 76 males—answered the questionnaire. This indicates that 35 pupils did not reply. • Qualitative Data Collection (Supporting Data): To collect qualitative data, three male and three female students participated in semi-structured interviews under the pseudonyms Hanna, Fasil, Gemeda, Ahmed, Fatuma, and Hayat. Students' self-efficacy in relation to social resources, self-regulated learning, academic success, self-assertive efficacy, and satisfying others' expectations were the main topics of these interviews. To bolster the quantitative results, word descriptions were used to assess the qualitative data.
Institutions
- Bahir Dar University