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Building shared visions on gender in an Engineering School with Lego® Serious Play®: a pilot study

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Conference

2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Location

Portland, Oregon

Publication Date

June 23, 2024

Start Date

June 23, 2024

End Date

July 12, 2024

Conference Session

Women in Engineering Division (WIED) Technical Session 4 - Hands-on Learning

Tagged Division

Women in Engineering Division (WIED)

Tagged Topic

Diversity

Permanent URL

https://strategy.asee.org/48429

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Paper Authors

biography

Claudia Paz Gwynn Universidad Andres Bello, Chile

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Doctorate student in Psychology with a research line in innovation, Master in Entrepreneurial Development for Innovation and Master in Coaching. National Coordinator of the Academy of Innovation and Entrepreneurship in the School of Engineering, Universid

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biography

Maria Elena Truyol Universidad Andres Bello, Chile Orcid 16x16 orcid.org/0000-0003-1153-4967

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María Elena Truyol, Ph.D., is full professor and researcher of the Universidad Andrés Bello (UNAB). She graduated as physics teacher (for middle and high school), physics (M.Sc.) and Ph.D. in Physics at Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Argentina. In 2013 she obtained a three-year postdoctoral position at the Universidade de Sao Paulo, Brazil. Her focus is set on educational research, physics education, problem-solving, design of instructional material, teacher training and gender studies. She teaches undergraduate courses related to environmental management, energy and fundamentals of industrial processes at the School of Engineering, UNAB. She currently is coordinating the Educational and Academic Innovation Unit at the School of Engineering (UNAB) that is engaged with the continuing teacher training in active learning methodologies at the three campuses of the School of Engineering (Santiago, Viña del Mar and Concepción, Chile). She authored several manuscripts in the science education area, joined several research projects, participated in international conferences with oral presentations and key note lectures and serves as referee for journals, funding institutions and associations.

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Carolina Elizabeth Jerez Universidad de Chile

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Abstract

In the international context, Sustainable Development Goals 5 (gender equality) and 4 (quality education) underscore the imperative of integrating gender equality issues within higher education. In Chile, Ministry of Education Law No. 21.369 promotes the establishment of safe and inclusive environments for all members of higher education academic communities, irrespective of their sex, gender, identity, or sexual orientation. Numerous studies have revealed that non-cognitive and affective factors significantly influence students' academic progress and success. Therefore, it is essential to explore the perceptions and perspectives of students and faculty in the School of Engineering regarding gender, equality, and roles. This pilot research aims to delve into the views held by students and faculty members of a prominent Engineering School in Chile concerning gender-related topics. The specific goals were twofold: a) to provide a reflective perspective on participants' institutional experiences related to gender, equality, and roles within the School of Engineering, and b) to shed light on the challenges and barriers encountered in institutional life. Data was collected using the LEGO® Serious Play® methodology as an innovative and dialogic facilitation method. Twenty students and professors participated. A phenomenological and qualitative analysis was conducted on the workshop recordings to discern emerging perspectives. The results of the initial pilot workshops highlight the significance that gender equality holds for both students and faculty within the realm of university education, as it is seen as the heart of institutional life, a secure space for the development of all individuals. This methodology allowed for the co-construction of knowledge with students and faculties, illuminating the proposal for institutional actions that ensure the effective incorporation of gender equality. It is intended to expand this work by organizing workshops involving students and faculty members from all school campuses.

Gwynn, C. P., & Truyol, M. E., & Jerez, C. E. (2024, June), Building shared visions on gender in an Engineering School with Lego® Serious Play®: a pilot study Paper presented at 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Portland, Oregon. https://strategy.asee.org/48429

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