Type

Text

Type

Dissertation

Advisor

Pittinsky, Todd | Sheppard, Keith | Ferguson, David | London, Manuel.

Date

2016-12-01

Keywords

Education, Gender, Mentoring, STEM, Workforce | Higher education -- Gender studies -- Science education

Department

Department of Technology, Policy, and Innovation

Language

en_US

Source

This work is sponsored by the Stony Brook University Graduate School in compliance with the requirements for completion of degree.

Identifier

http://hdl.handle.net/11401/76855

Publisher

The Graduate School, Stony Brook University: Stony Brook, NY.

Format

application/pdf

Abstract

Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education in the United States lags behind that of other industrialized nations. Despite national efforts to enhance the quality of STEM education for students, progress remains elusive. Underperformance is evident in measures of outcomes, participation, and retention. In particular, inequity persists in the attraction and retention of women to STEM fields. Mentoring is heavily cited as a means to improve our national efforts to fortify STEM education. This research explores mentoring styles, gender preferences, and differential impact on outcomes. The results challenge conventional wisdom that women prefer and benefit from a style of mentoring that is different from the preferred style of men. This study found that male and female protégés do not desire different types of mentoring. In fact, male and female protégés desire task-oriented mentoring when compared to relationship-oriented mentoring styles. However, female protégés prefer to be mentored by female mentors and male protégés prefer to be mentored by male mentors. In addition, with respect to gender, mentors do not differ in the type of mentoring they employ. Additionally, results of the study indicate that task-oriented mentoring style may bring incremental explanatory power with regard to intention to pursue STEM careers. This research implicates STEM program design in university settings. Gender-focused STEM programs are advised to focus on preferences and mentoring type, but not in the conventional way. This research indicates that women in STEM disciplines are not expressing a preference for relationship-oriented mentoring type and do benefit from task-oriented mentoring styles. | Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education in the United States lags behind that of other industrialized nations. Despite national efforts to enhance the quality of STEM education for students, progress remains elusive. Underperformance is evident in measures of outcomes, participation, and retention. In particular, inequity persists in the attraction and retention of women to STEM fields. Mentoring is heavily cited as a means to improve our national efforts to fortify STEM education. This research explores mentoring styles, gender preferences, and differential impact on outcomes. The results challenge conventional wisdom that women prefer and benefit from a style of mentoring that is different from the preferred style of men. This study found that male and female protégés do not desire different types of mentoring. In fact, male and female protégés desire task-oriented mentoring when compared to relationship-oriented mentoring styles. However, female protégés prefer to be mentored by female mentors and male protégés prefer to be mentored by male mentors. In addition, with respect to gender, mentors do not differ in the type of mentoring they employ. Additionally, results of the study indicate that task-oriented mentoring style may bring incremental explanatory power with regard to intention to pursue STEM careers. This research implicates STEM program design in university settings. Gender-focused STEM programs are advised to focus on preferences and mentoring type, but not in the conventional way. This research indicates that women in STEM disciplines are not expressing a preference for relationship-oriented mentoring type and do benefit from task-oriented mentoring styles. | 84 pages

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