Eliciting women's voices: choosing and experiencing a nontraditional occupational program

The trend for women to follow gender-traditional educational and occupational pathways has been resistant to change, even in the face of decreased income potential. Scholars have tested hypotheses regarding women's avoidance of nontraditional occupations, but have given scant attention to the experience of women who have exited the traditional path. This research employed a qualitative methodology within a feminist theoretical framework to elicit the voices of women in nontraditional programs. The purpose of this research was to elucidate (a) the career choice process and (b) the educational environment experienced by women in gender-nontraditional programs at the community college level. It was performed at a community college in the southeastern United States. Enrollment data revealed five associate degree programs with a female enrollment of 25% or less. Eight women were selected to participate in qualitative interviews to approach an understanding of educational choice and environment from the female students' perspective. Data from interviews with instructors, site visits, and analysis of relevant documents contributed to the research findings. Findings revealed a description of the site where institutional policies, administrators, instructors, and counselors contributed to a positive learning environment for female students in nontraditional programs. Seventeen themes emerged from interviews with research participants in response to the two main research questions. These were: (1) why women work, (2) a habit of individualism, (3) role models/early influences, (4) children: effects of/on, (5) the significant other, (6) instructors: an ethic of caring, (7) instructors: negative, (8) classes and peers, (9) language, (10) earlier educational environment, (11) the subtle nature of discrimination, (12) not so subtle, (13) evolution: educational, (14) evolution: personal, (15) being allowed (16) perseverance, and (17) internalized sexism. The study resulted in a description of the women's educational environment as a place where the infrequent incidents of discrimination were far outweighed by the feeling of welcome and encouragement framed by the instructors and other faculty. The facilitators of instructor support and a positive campus climate were more than sufficient to help the women who demonstrated intrinsic strength and self-reliance overcome barriers of early educational discrimination and negative input from peers.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph. D.

Level thesis:degree_level

doctoral

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Education

Department dc:contributor.department

Education

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Tech

Year dc:date.issued

1996

Author dc:creator

• Stephenson, M. Beth

Chair dc:contributor.committeechair

• Burge, Penny

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Blumenthal, Shelley M.
• Hoerner, James
• Lichtman, Marilyn V.
• Stewart, Daisy L.

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Language dc:language.iso

en

Dc Identifier Other

etd-05112006-154819

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/37769