| The purpose of this study was to determine if factors that influence students' perceptions of the educational climate in engineering and applied science differ for women and men. A Web-based survey invited participants to answer questions regarding three factors: self-confidence, quality of the learning environment, and quality of teaching. Undergraduates in the School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS) at the University of Virginia constituted the population for this study. The sample included 496 female and 496 male students.; This was a quantitative study. Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was used to determine if the combined dependent variables (self-confidence, quality of the learning environment, and quality of teaching) were affected by the independent variables (gender and class year). Roy-Bargmann stepdown analysis was used to assess each dependent variable following a statistically significant multivariate effect.; The results of the MANOVA found statistically significant effects for gender (p < .001, eta2 = .06), class year (p < .05, eta 2 = .04), and their interaction (p < .05, eta2 = .02). The study found that men reported significantly higher mean scores on self-confidence than women (p < .001, eta2 = .03). Women had significantly higher mean scores regarding the quality of the learning environment than men (p < .01, eta2 = .001). Overall, women and men did not significantly differ in their perceptions regarding the quality of teaching. The secondary analysis concerning class year found that first-year women reported higher mean scores for self-confidence than first-year men. Conversely, upper class men reported significantly higher mean scores on self-confidence than upper class women (p < .05, eta 2 = .01). Differences in class year regarding perceptions of the quality of the learning environment were significant (p < .05, eta2 = .02). Mean scores decreased from the first year to the second year, and increased the following three years. The differences by class year regarding the quality of teaching were also significant (p < .01, eta 2 = .007). Mean scores significantly decreased after the first year.; Further research is needed in order to understand the causes for the differences found in this study between women and men. Research is also needed that explores differences beyond gender and class year, such as race, parental background, and socioeconomic background. |
