Factors associated with the gender gap in the STEM sector: Comparison of theoretical and empirical concept maps and qualitative SWOT analysis

[EN] Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) degrees represent a future employment scenario with low unemployment rates due to the high demand for qualified personnel. However, the STEM sector also represents an educational field marked by horizontal segregation and the gender gap....

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Verdugo-Castro, Sonia, Sánchez-Gómez, María Cruz, García-Holgado, Alicia
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2023
País:España
Institución:Universidad de Salamanca (USAL)
Repositorio:GREDOS. Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Salamanca
OAI Identifier:oai:gredos.usal.es:10366/162247
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/10366/162247
https://doi.org/10.1016/J.HELIYON.2023.E17499
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:STEM
Gender gap
Higher education
University
Equality
Qualitative analysis
SWOT
5312.04 Educación
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spelling Factors associated with the gender gap in the STEM sector: Comparison of theoretical and empirical concept maps and qualitative SWOT analysisVerdugo-Castro, SoniaSánchez-Gómez, María CruzGarcía-Holgado, AliciaSTEMGender gapHigher educationUniversityEqualityQualitative analysisSWOT5312.04 Educación[EN] Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) degrees represent a future employment scenario with low unemployment rates due to the high demand for qualified personnel. However, the STEM sector also represents an educational field marked by horizontal segregation and the gender gap. Different factors play a role in deciding which higher education studies to pursue. From a theoretical and empirical approach, this study aims to identify which factors are associated with the gender gap in the STEM higher education sector. Furthermore, as a research question, it is proposed: are the factors identified at a theoretical and empirical level associated with the gender gap in the STEM higher education sector the same? The empirically validated questionnaire “Questionnaire with university students on STEM studies in Higher Education” (QSTEMHE) was applied to the student community of public and private universities in Spain in 2021, using simple random probability sampling to answer the research question and objective. A final sample of 2101 participants of different genders belonging to different branches of knowledge was obtained. The data analysis was carried out using qualitative methodology and the phenomenological method, following different stages. Firstly, a theoretical conceptual map of the main factors identified in the literature and their authors was composed. Secondly, an empirical conceptual map has been designed with the factors identified in the narratives of the study participants. Finally, these maps were complemented with a SWOT analysis based on the participants’ discourses. As a result, it has been observed that there are extrinsic and intrinsic factors and that social constructs and gender stereotypes strongly influence the perception of men, women, and professions and the masculinisation and feminisation of these. Outreach interventions should be proposed from the institutional educational spheres to alleviate existing biases about studies and professions.CellPress202520252023info:eu-repo/semantics/articleinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersionapplication/pdfhttp://hdl.handle.net/10366/162247https://doi.org/10.1016/J.HELIYON.2023.E17499reponame:GREDOS. Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Salamancainstname:Universidad de Salamanca (USAL)InglésAttribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 Internacionalhttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessoai:gredos.usal.es:10366/1622472026-06-07T06:28:51Z
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Factors associated with the gender gap in the STEM sector: Comparison of theoretical and empirical concept maps and qualitative SWOT analysis
title Factors associated with the gender gap in the STEM sector: Comparison of theoretical and empirical concept maps and qualitative SWOT analysis
spellingShingle Factors associated with the gender gap in the STEM sector: Comparison of theoretical and empirical concept maps and qualitative SWOT analysis
Verdugo-Castro, Sonia
STEM
Gender gap
Higher education
University
Equality
Qualitative analysis
SWOT
5312.04 Educación
title_short Factors associated with the gender gap in the STEM sector: Comparison of theoretical and empirical concept maps and qualitative SWOT analysis
title_full Factors associated with the gender gap in the STEM sector: Comparison of theoretical and empirical concept maps and qualitative SWOT analysis
title_fullStr Factors associated with the gender gap in the STEM sector: Comparison of theoretical and empirical concept maps and qualitative SWOT analysis
title_full_unstemmed Factors associated with the gender gap in the STEM sector: Comparison of theoretical and empirical concept maps and qualitative SWOT analysis
title_sort Factors associated with the gender gap in the STEM sector: Comparison of theoretical and empirical concept maps and qualitative SWOT analysis
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Verdugo-Castro, Sonia
Sánchez-Gómez, María Cruz
García-Holgado, Alicia
author Verdugo-Castro, Sonia
author_facet Verdugo-Castro, Sonia
Sánchez-Gómez, María Cruz
García-Holgado, Alicia
author_role author
author2 Sánchez-Gómez, María Cruz
García-Holgado, Alicia
author2_role author
author
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv STEM
Gender gap
Higher education
University
Equality
Qualitative analysis
SWOT
5312.04 Educación
topic STEM
Gender gap
Higher education
University
Equality
Qualitative analysis
SWOT
5312.04 Educación
description [EN] Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) degrees represent a future employment scenario with low unemployment rates due to the high demand for qualified personnel. However, the STEM sector also represents an educational field marked by horizontal segregation and the gender gap. Different factors play a role in deciding which higher education studies to pursue. From a theoretical and empirical approach, this study aims to identify which factors are associated with the gender gap in the STEM higher education sector. Furthermore, as a research question, it is proposed: are the factors identified at a theoretical and empirical level associated with the gender gap in the STEM higher education sector the same? The empirically validated questionnaire “Questionnaire with university students on STEM studies in Higher Education” (QSTEMHE) was applied to the student community of public and private universities in Spain in 2021, using simple random probability sampling to answer the research question and objective. A final sample of 2101 participants of different genders belonging to different branches of knowledge was obtained. The data analysis was carried out using qualitative methodology and the phenomenological method, following different stages. Firstly, a theoretical conceptual map of the main factors identified in the literature and their authors was composed. Secondly, an empirical conceptual map has been designed with the factors identified in the narratives of the study participants. Finally, these maps were complemented with a SWOT analysis based on the participants’ discourses. As a result, it has been observed that there are extrinsic and intrinsic factors and that social constructs and gender stereotypes strongly influence the perception of men, women, and professions and the masculinisation and feminisation of these. Outreach interventions should be proposed from the institutional educational spheres to alleviate existing biases about studies and professions.
publishDate 2023
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2023
2025
2025
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
format article
status_str publishedVersion
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv http://hdl.handle.net/10366/162247
https://doi.org/10.1016/J.HELIYON.2023.E17499
url http://hdl.handle.net/10366/162247
https://doi.org/10.1016/J.HELIYON.2023.E17499
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv Inglés
language_invalid_str_mv Inglés
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 Internacional
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
rights_invalid_str_mv Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 Internacional
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
dc.format.none.fl_str_mv application/pdf
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv CellPress
publisher.none.fl_str_mv CellPress
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv reponame:GREDOS. Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Salamanca
instname:Universidad de Salamanca (USAL)
instname_str Universidad de Salamanca (USAL)
reponame_str GREDOS. Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Salamanca
collection GREDOS. Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Salamanca
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