Abstract:

Technical education is becoming increasingly important in the context of ongoing societal and technological transformations. At the same time, girls and women remain underrepresented in technical education pathways and professions. This disparity often emerges early in the school context, where subject-related interests and career orientations begin to develop. Against this background, this study investigates the interest in technology among girls aged 12 to 16 in Rwanda and Germany (Rhineland-Palatinate).

The study aims to identify key factors influencing the development of technological interest among girls and to examine these factors from an international comparative perspective. The analysis focuses on technological socialization processes, school-related conditions, and societal and cultural gender roles. The theoretical framework is based on models of interest development and concepts of technological socialization.

Methodologically, the study adopts a comparative research design using a standardized questionnaire with both closed Likert-scale items and open-ended questions. Quantitative data were analyzed descriptively using mean values, while qualitative responses were examined through thematic analysis following Mayring’s approach.

The findings reveal both country-specific differences and shared influencing factors shaping girls’ interest in technology. In particular, school support and familial encouragement emerge as key drivers, while the influence of traditional gender roles varies across contexts. The results highlight the importance of creating gender-sensitive learning environments and provide practical implications for the design of inclusive technical education programs.

Keywords:

Girls, technology education, gender roles, Rwanda, Germany, interest development, comparative education, STEM education.