THE DEVELOPMENT OF CO-CURRICULAR INTERVENTIONS TO STRENGTHEN FEMALE ENGINEERING STUDENTS’ SENSE OF SELF-EFFICACY AND TO IMPROVE THE RETENTION OF WOMEN IN TRADITIONALLY MALE-DOMINATED DISCIPLINES AND CAREERS

Authors

  • Ann Sharon Lourens NMMU

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.7166/25-3-502

Keywords:

women engineering students, self-efficacy, co-cirricular interventions

Abstract

Self-efficacy relates to positive outcomes for women studying and working in traditionally male-dominated fields such as engineering, science, and technology. Many women engineering students (WES) experience fear and insecurity about how they will be treated and perceived in this traditionally male-dominated field, either as a WES or as a working engineer. This study provides support for the development of co-curricular interventions to improve the self-efficacy of WES at a South African tertiary institution. The research design for this study is based on a phenomenological approach that uses a process of critical analysis of evaluation and feedback documents relating to the various co-curricular interventions and their perceived influence on selected WES’s self-efficacy. Finally, as there has been no other South African research on WES and the sources of self-efficacy, this research is unique in the South African context. 

Author Biography

Ann Sharon Lourens, NMMU

HoD Industrial Engineering

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Published

2014-09-23

How to Cite

Lourens, A. S. (2014). THE DEVELOPMENT OF CO-CURRICULAR INTERVENTIONS TO STRENGTHEN FEMALE ENGINEERING STUDENTS’ SENSE OF SELF-EFFICACY AND TO IMPROVE THE RETENTION OF WOMEN IN TRADITIONALLY MALE-DOMINATED DISCIPLINES AND CAREERS. The South African Journal of Industrial Engineering, 25(3), 112–125. https://doi.org/10.7166/25-3-502

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Section

General Articles