Female and Female Underrepresented Engineering Technology Students: Background, and Influences

In this Research to Practice Full Paper it is recognized that four-year engineering technology programs include far more African American students than four-year engineering programs. Comparisons of studies focused on engineering technology or engineering programs or both programs indicate that this difference is considerable and is evident over a period of at least a decade. These findings support the need for research on the underrepresented engineering technology student population.There is a great deal of diversity research in engineering, and some of the other fields often associated with Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM). However, this is not the case with the student population in engineering technology. Studies on engineering technology students often focus on students in the majority, which proves to be white male students. This results in the lack of focus and understanding of whom the underrepresented students are and their formal and informal learning influences. Learning in the formal and informal community and family environments have been shown by research to support and influence student choices as well as their future success. Thus, the influence of the underrepresented engineering technology student’s past and current environments is significant but relatively unknown.Researchers intended to gather data from underrepresented engineering technology student populations with a survey they developed. The survey queries student demographics, community and school support and preparation for the university experience, as well as their plans for the future. The original survey distribution resulted in responses from the students in the majority. The responses resulted in an understanding of the students in the majority, again leaving underrepresented students out of the study results. The survey has been re-distributed to primarily female and female underrepresented groups with the intent of furthering our understanding of the female and female underrepresented engineering technology students, their demographic, their past, and future. Thus increasing our knowledge of the contrasts of these students will support recruitment and retention efforts by these universities’ administration.