Dynamics of Change

Dynamics of Change

1. Describe the challenge, issue, and/or pressure you identified.

The challenge that will be featured in this study is the inclusion of more females in STEM subjects in American Colleges. This is against a background of huge gender disparities presenting themselves when it came to the composition of students studying these subjects. The subjects are Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. Traditionally these have been viewed as a realm for male students while females have showed a tendency to take up courses that are less technical in nature and more art, social or biology oriented. As a result, Education stakeholders in American tertiary Education have in recent years stepped up campaigns geared at encouraging female students into STEM courses which then direct them towards careers in these fields.

This is also geared towards minimizing the high drop-out rate for female students who initially take up these courses only to leave them midway. This issue is not just a gender matter but also a social one that challenges the culture that is currently ascribed to by majority of the population. The cultural notion of males being viewed as the stronger sex encourages the notion of them being better equipped to handle courses that are considered as more challenging and demanding of mental faculties. The fact that it also involves heavy machinery has also led to it being associated with masculinity. The pressure that this campaign then imposes upon the stakeholders in STEM is the obligation for them to change their attitudes regarding the involvement of females (Ginorio, 1995). This pressure will mostly be felt by males who are students or workers in these industries. This is because it can be perceived as an invasion of a male dominated and oriented domain (Blickenstaff, 2005).

One of the biggest proponents of increased involvement of women in STEM programs is the feminism fraternity which has been pushing for equal opportunities for members of both genders. This has led too campaigns for affirmative action which in this regard works towards a gender balance through lower entry requirements for the group perceived to be at a disadvantage. In this instance the disadvantaged or marginalized group is females and this has to some extent been seen as the denial of fundamental rights. This is not the first time activism is opening up opportunities for women. It has happened in the past when women were granted voting rights and also through the gender revolution which saw an increase in the number of married women getting into employment.

2. How and why was it decided to initiate an educational change to address the challenge, issue, and/or pressure?

With regard to the decision to increase the inclusion of women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, research conducted on College freshmen I the year 1996 exposed disparities lying in the intended courses of study that the students wanted to pursue (Sax, 1996). At the same time, statistics on the demographics of the American Workforce indicated that though the total percentage of women in formal employment was almost similar to that of men, a 50/50 ratio; they only made up a quarter of the total employees working in STEM related industries.

3. What successful change processes and leadership skills, if any, are/were evident in the situation? Cite the source(s) of your analysis of successful educational change processes?

Though far from realizing its goal, this program is on the right track and this is seen through the gradual change that has resulted from the concerted efforts by various players in America’s education sector. This includes the work of government agencies such as the office of the president, feminist groups as well as the academic institutions themselves in collaboration with women who have made it through STEM programs and are in gainful employment in the same industry. The First Lady of the United States, Michelle Obama has demonstrated exceptional leadership through her contribution to the Whitehouse Council on Women and Girls which then passes important recommendations to Office of Science and Technology in a positive manner (Whitehouse, 2013).  The success has largely come from coordination between the different entities involved in the effort.

4. What unsuccessful change processes and leadership skills, if any, are/were evident in the situation? Cite the source(s) of your analysis of successful change processes.

A key failure that has been seen in this program is minimal efforts being made to challenge some of the issues that lead to the gender disparities seen in STEM studies and STEM- related industries in the United States. This is because the underlying issues in the academic institutions and workplace have contributed to a low retention rate for females in the sector. Until these issues are addressed, the rate of change being witnessed will be very slow.

5. What leadership lessons about planning and implementing change can be learned from your example? Cite the research-based leadership and/or educational change resource(s) that support(s) your position.

The skills that I found to be outstanding with regard to planning educational change are mainly related to coordination and the program’s activities as well as the employment of employment demographics and other statistics in the planning program (Hallinger, 2003). The use of statistics provided vital information that was used as a rallying call for exposing and emphasizing the gender disparity. At the same time, results of the 1996 study on college freshmen provided pointers regarding the opinions being held by stakeholders. With regard to coordination efforts, it can be seen that various bodies have been working together while capitalizing on their strengths (Connolly et al, 2000). The First Lady for instance has made maximum use of her position in the national spotlight to report on the progress that has been made with regard to the involvement of women in STEM.

 

 

References

Clark Blickenstaff*, J. (2005). Women and science careers: leaky pipeline or gender filter?. Gender and Education, 17(4), 369-386.

Connolly, M., Connolly, U., & James, C. (2000). Leadership in educational change. British Journal of Management, 11(1), 61-70.

Ginorio, A. B. (1995). Warming the Climate for Women in Academic Science. Association of American Colleges and Universities, 1818 R St., NW, Washington, DC 20009.

Hallinger, P. (2003). Leading educational change: Reflections on the practice of instructional and transformational leadership. Cambridge Journal of education, 33(3), 329-352.

Sax, L. J. (1996). The Impact of College on Post-College Commitment to Science Careers: Gender Differences in a Nine-Year Follow-Up of College Freshmen.

Whitehouse (2013) Women in STEM, The Whitehouse.  Retrieved from  http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/ostp/women on August 12, 2013

 

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