Study of female FRC alumnae from Northern California teams

[CeciliaCraig]

Are you a female alumna of FRC and in college now? Was your FRC team in Northern California?

If so, I need your help. You are invited to take part in a research study exploring the influences of FIRST™ Robotics Competition (FRC™) on young women’s career decisions. I am inviting female volunteers to participate in this study who participated in FRC during high school in Northern California, who are currently between the ages of 19 and 30 inclusively, currently in undergraduate school. I am looking for women studying a range of curricula, including engineering, physics, and computer science as well as other non-technical curricula.

Your participation would consist of participation in asynchronous threaded discussions in an online focus group (e.g., Yahoo group) with other female FRC alumnae and potentially a follow-up interview.

Contacts and Questions:
If you are interested in volunteering your time for this study or have any questions (see FAQs below for some answers), let me know by email at Cecilia.Craig@WaldenU.edu or CealCraig@Druai.com

I appreciate Chief Delphi’s support allowing me to post this request in their forums. Thank you.

Cecilia (Ceal) D. Craig
Walden University PhD in Education Student
Prime: Cecilia.Craig@WaldenU.edu
Alternate: CealCraig@Druai.com


Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: Will participants be compensated for participation?
A: No compensation is offered; however, participants will be able to review and provide input to the results prior to publication. Also, I’m hoping participants will enjoy the reflections and discussions.

Q: How much time will the focus group take?
A: The focus group(s) will occur over a two week period sometime in March to May. You may participate asynchronously, that is, at a time during the week that suits you. In general, the first week will be responding to questions posted in the Focus Group with the second week centered on discussions among participants. Thus, the amount of time is difficult to predict, but I would not expect it to take more than two to four hours over the course of the two weeks.

Q: What if I decide during the study I don’t want to continue?
A: You can withdraw at any time.

Q: When will participants know about the interview phase? How will that work?
A: About two – three weeks after the Focus Groups end, I will send invitations to participants asking if you would be willing to have an interview, either face-to-face (if locations permit) or by conference call (no cost to you). The interview will be no more than an hour. We will arrange the timing to suit us both sometime before the end of May, hopefully.

Q: Why just Northern California FRC alumnae? Why only women?
A: Doctoral studies need to have a scope and I am based in that location, thus it was selected. Future studies are possible in other locations.

Q: Why only women?
A: The percentages of women graduating in engineering, physics, and computer science continue to be lower than those of men. Thus, it is a subject of interest and worthy of research.