Gender differences in experiences of TAFE IT students: a work in progress

Raina Mason, Graham Cooper, Tim Comber, Anne Hellou, Julie Tucker

Context of research

Figure 1: Percentage of female students in NCIT IT courses (Data provided by

NCIT 2013)

Not traditional attrition.Choose not to progress to

next course.

IT : % females decreasing All courses: % females constant.

Previous Research

• Family obligations• Lower self-confidence• Lower computer literacy• Non-available desired

course• Societal gender

expectations(Cohoon 2001; Katz et al. 2006; Roberts et al. 2012; West & Ross 2002)

• Non-starters• Non-completers

• GAP: completion of current course but fail to progress to next course

• Currently happening at TAFE

Longitudinal Surveys - online

• Beginning of Semester• Mid-semester• End of Semester

• 78 respondents• 65 complete/mostly

complete

• Exploratory• Range of factors• Likert, Closed and Open

responses

• Data analysis incomplete

• Baseline (Survey 1) analysis completed

Demographics

30% males, 60% females employed

Financial Pressure

• “If you had to do so in an emergency, could you find $2000 within 48 hours?”

• 60% of females working, 30% of males

• Around 50% of both males/females identified they were experiencing financial pressure.

Computer Use/Literacy

• Males use computers more at home• No difference at work• Total time: females use computers more.

• Generally high computer literacy• No difference between females and males

Attitudes• “I feel confident in my ability

to study in this course.”• “I feel confident in my ability

in information technology.”• “I feel excited about studying

in my course.”• “I feel fearful about what

might be expected of me in my course.”

• “I feel confident that the skills I will learn will benefit me in the future.”

• Females less confident[p = 0.0197]

• Trend towards females being less confident

• Both high (no difference)

• Both mid (no difference)

• Both high (no difference)

Next steps – Surveys 2 and 3

• Longitudinal• Support• Community of learners• Friendships• Difficulty of course

(various aspects)• Kessler 10• Open questions

Stage 2:• Interviews

• ~ 20 participants

• Data collection just completed

Next steps

• Just regional TAFEs? Compare with metropolitan TAFE dataCompare with intentions of commencing

Uni IT students/private provider students• Re-run the surveys

Incentive to attract more young people

• Follow up issues identified in results

• Design and Conduct Intervention

Questions

Thank you