Florida State University Libraries Electronic Theses, Treatises and Dissertations The Graduate School 2005 Impact of a Women's Program for Science, Mathematics and Engineering on Undergraduate Women: Activity Systems on the Periphery Ajda Kahveci Follow this and additional works at the FSU Digital Library. For more information, please contact [email protected] THE FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF EDUCATION IMPACT OF A WOMEN’S PROGRAM FOR SCIENCE, MATHEMATICS AND ENGINEERING ON UNDERGRADUATE WOMEN: ACTIVITY SYSTEMS ON THE PERIPHERY By AJDA KAHVECI A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Middle and Secondary Education in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Degree Awarded: Summer Semester, 2005 The members of the Committee approve the dissertation of Ajda Kahveci defended on June 09, 2005. ________________________ Sherry A. Southerland Professor Co-Directing Dissertation ________________________ Penny J. Gilmer Professor Co-Directing Dissertation ________________________ Jeffrey P. Chanton Outside Committee Member ________________________ Owen F. Gaede Committee Member Approved: __________________________________________________ Pamela S. Carroll, Interim Chair, Department of Middle and Secondary Education The Office of Graduate Studies has verified and approved the above named committee members. ii To Asel Müge Kahveci iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I sincerely thank my co-major professors, Dr. Sherry A. Southerland and Dr. Penny J. Gilmer for their incredible support and supervision through such a close, caring, and yet, professional relationship. I owe a great deal to Dr. Penny J. Gilmer for her guidance to the context of this research. I also would like to thank Dr. Jeffrey P. Chanton, for his lively contribution, and Dr. Owen F. Gaede, for his help. In addition, I would like to thank the Director of the Program for Women in Science, Engineering and Mathematics, Dr. Jones, who welcomed me “to be around” and pursue my research. Scott P. Sowell and Ahmad Qablan, my peers in the science education community at Florida State, also have been incredibly supportive. Thank you for providing insight and encouragement along the way, and also for your meaningful presence at all of my defenses. I thank all undergraduate students who participated in this research. I especially am indebted to the three courageous young women whose patience, honesty, and open- heartedness made possible this project. Thank you. I am grateful to my parents, Hasan Yılmaz and Necmiye Yılmaz, for their incredible support, outstanding efforts and encouragement since early years making possible these days. I also thank my brother, Alkin Yılmaz, for keeping in touch and his care for me. I especially thank my mother, for her presence overseas and unforgettable support during the writing of my findings. This project would not have been possible without the patience and pure love of my little daughter, Asel Müge. Finally, my loving thanks go to my husband, fellow graduate and prospective colleague, Murat Kahveci, for his loving support of me personally and professionally. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES...................................................................................................................................VIII LIST OF FIGURES.................................................................................................................................... IX ABSTRACT ..................................................................................................................................................X CHAPTER 1 ................................................................................................................................................. 1 INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................................................ 1 PICTURING WOMEN’S UNDERREPRESENTATION......................................................................................... 1 STATEMENT OF RESEARCH PROBLEM......................................................................................................... 4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS ............................................................................................................................... 5 CHAPTER 2 ................................................................................................................................................. 7 REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE ............................................................................................................ 7 THE HISTORY OF WOMEN’S SUBORDINATION ............................................................................................ 7 STRANDS OF FEMINIST THEORY ............................................................................................................... 12 First-Wave (Sameness) Feminism....................................................................................................... 13 Second-Wave (Difference) Feminism.................................................................................................. 18 Third-Wave Feminism......................................................................................................................... 26 CURRENT PROBLEMS IN WOMEN’S EDUCATION....................................................................................... 29 How Women Become Marginalized.................................................................................................... 29 HOW TO CHANGE SM&E PEDAGOGY TO MAKE IT MORE GENDER INCLUSIVE ........................................ 35 Feminist Critiques of Science ............................................................................................................. 35 Feminist Critiques of Technology....................................................................................................... 38 Teaching Science in Gender Equitable Ways ..................................................................................... 40 CHAPTER 3 ............................................................................................................................................... 47 METHODOLOGY..................................................................................................................................... 47 CONTEXT OF RESEARCH ........................................................................................................................... 47 The Program for Women In Science, Engineering, and Mathematics ................................................ 47 Feminist Approaches Embedded in the Program ............................................................................... 53 THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK..................................................................................................................... 55 Situated Learning: Legitimate Peripheral Participation .................................................................... 55 Cultural-Historical Activity Theory.................................................................................................... 59 Visual Representation of My Theoretical Frame ................................................................................ 63 RESEARCH DESIGN................................................................................................................................... 65 Qualitative Approach – Dominant...................................................................................................... 66 Quantitative Approach - Less-Dominant ............................................................................................ 67 RESEARCH PARTICIPANTS ........................................................................................................................ 68 Interview Participants......................................................................................................................... 68 Survey Participants............................................................................................................................. 70 METHODS OF DATA COLLECTION............................................................................................................. 73 Pilot Study - Summary ........................................................................................................................ 73 Qualitative .......................................................................................................................................... 74 Quantitative – The Survey Instrument................................................................................................. 79 METHODS OF DATA ANALYSIS................................................................................................................. 88 Qualitative .......................................................................................................................................... 88 Quantitative ........................................................................................................................................ 90 RESEARCHER............................................................................................................................................ 92 ENSURING THE RIGOR OF THE RESEARCH................................................................................................. 94 v Crystallization/Triangulation.............................................................................................................