Science and Mathematics Education Commons^™

Help Or Hindrance: Latinx College Graduates’ From Stem Majors Perceptions Of University Culture Following Vincent Tinto’S Theoretical Framework Of Student Persistence, Carmen Gonzalez, Carmen Lucia Gonzalez

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore how Latinx college graduates who have achieved STEM degrees perceive the culture of their university and the STEM program they were enrolled in as supporting or not supporting a Latinx college student’s persistence to graduation.

Methodology: A qualitative phenomenological approach was the methodology selected for this study. This phenomenological research captured and described the lived experiences of study participants through interviews and artifacts.

Findings: The findings of this research illustrate (a) Research participants all perceived that creating relationships with STEM program faculty was important in supporting them toward degree completion, …

The Impact Of A K-8 Stem Program On Grades And Student Choice Of Stem And Advanced Mathematics And Science Coursework In High School, Astrid Rodrigues

Dissertations

The demands of today’s workforce call for schools to prepare their students to have problem-solving skills and be critical thinkers and collaborative colleagues. Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) learning has been known to cultivate, excite, and promote critical thinking and problem-solving skills in students from an early age.

This study explored the high school course selection of students who had participated in a compulsory Kindergarten to 8^th grade (K-8) STEM program, called Project Lead the Way (PLTW), while in middle school. Specifically, the study compared the number of STEM and advanced mathematics and science courses that students who …

Female Graduate Students’ Experiences And Career Orientations In Stem: A Comparative Case Study, Jasvir K. Pannu

Dissertations

Regardless of implementation of government policies to promote STEM education and eradicate the underrepresentation of women and minorities, the number of women choosing STEM throughout their educational career remains low. In 2018 65% doctorate degrees were awarded to men and only 35% to women. Moreover, 40% of all students enrolled in doctorate programs drop out before completion. The process of socialization in graduate school and students’ non academic responsibilities play critical roles in graduate students’ success and future career orientations. Processes of socialization involve interactions with faculty, peers, and administration while taking courses and conducting dissertation research. Non academic engagements …

Student Perceptions Of Their Undergraduate Science Laboratories, Eva N. Nyutu

Dissertations

The science laboratory learning environment has been a distinctive area in science education since the 19th century. The science laboratory environment has been examined extensively at the high school level using the Science Laboratory Environment Inventory (SLEI). There are, however, very few studies about the science laboratory environment done at the college level. An instrument that may be helpful for college instructors is one that assesses the degree to which students perceive the laboratory as intended by their science instructors. An examination of the literature indicated that there are no validated and reliable instruments for measuring student perceptions of what …

Measuring The Impact Of Cognitive Behavioral Coaching With Nonverbal Immediacy On The Self-Efficacy Of Undergraduate Students In Stem Courses, Christopher Miller, Melissa Joy Benton

Dissertations

A quasi-experimental study explored whether the practice of cognitive behavioral coaching with an intentional focus on nonverbal immediacy has an impact on the self-efficacy of undergraduate students taking college-level STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) courses. A positive impact to self-efficacy for students who receive the coaching intervention was anticipated. The research took place at a public research university located in the Midwest. Subjects included students who were required to work with a success coach as a condition of their enrollment and/or financial aid eligibility. Information obtained included perception of nonverbal immediacy of the coaches and self-efficacy of the student, …

Faculty Interactions With Black Male Students At Hbcus And Community Colleges As Predictors Of Academic Achievement In Stem, Antoine Gates

Dissertations

A myriad of studies in STEM education aim to identify the underlying reasons behind poor achievement of Black males in higher education. Research studies have indicated that HBCUs make significant advances in various desired outcomes such as graduation rates for Blacks, especially males. However, Black males at community colleges do not always fare similarly to their counterparts at HBCUs. There are limited studies on faculty interactions with Black males in STEM at community colleges. Therefore, the goal of this study was to identify whether significant differences existed in the interactions STEM faculty formed with Black males at community colleges and …

Environmental Science And Culture: Exploring The Factors Contributing To The Pro-Environmental Behavior Of Rural Youth, Michelle Donlan, Elizabeth Flotte, Patricia Silovsky

Dissertations

This mixed methods study contributes to the pro-environmental behavior literature by introducing the concept of environmental science capital to explore the factors influencing pro-environmental behavior in rural youth. This study’s proposed theory of change attempts to build upon the Kollmus and Agyeman model of pro-environmental behavior by theorizing that environmental science capital is the “missing middle” needed to overcome the barriers to pro-environmental behavior. We hypothesized that meaningful nature experiences, role models, connectedness to nature, STEM interest and environmental identity would help rural youth increase their environmental science capital in order to “bridge the gap” and overcome barriers to pro-environmental …

Perceived Ideal Traits Of A Mentor As Viewed By African American Students In Science, Technology, Engineering, And Mathematics, Mary L. Smith

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine undergraduate students majoring in science, technology, engineering, and math disciplines perception of traits an ideal mentor should possess, and to determine if these traits had positive results on their identification with science. With a large number of workers in STEM disciplines retiring, there is a projected need for more underrepresented minorities to fill these positions. In order to increase diversity in the workforce, efforts must be made to retain underrepresented minorities in STEM education beginning at the undergraduate level and continuing throughout the graduate level. This intervention should begin as early as …

Females In Automotive Careers: Career Decision-Making Influences And Experiences During University Preparation And Beyond, Russell A. Leonard Jr.

Dissertations

Today, women fill nearly 50% of the jobs in the U.S. economy (U.S. Dept. of Labor, 2014). While women are making progress in many careers once considered male only, they are still underrepresented in the male-dominated Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) careers, filling only 25% of available STEM jobs (Beede et al., 2011). The problem is not a lack of interest in STEM subjects, but a “leaky pipeline” that develops early in adolescence. By the eighth grade, half as many girls are interested in STEM careers as boys (National Science Foundation [NSF], 2007). Even after graduation from college, women …

Exploring The “Mojo” Of Presidential Awards For Excellence In Mathematics And Science Teaching (Paemst) Recipients, James W. O'Malley

Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation was to determine how extraordinary science teachers develop their teaching mojo. The teachers investigated were recipients of the prestigious Presidential Award for Excellence in Math and Science Teaching (PAEMST). This investigation focuses specifically on science instruction. The method used for this investigation was individual and group interviews conducted with eight PAEMST recipients. Five themes emerged from these interviews: 1. Science is a natural motivator for learning; 2. Students need to be scientifically literate citizens; 3. A critical “trigger event” propelled each of these teachers towards great science instruction; 4. Each sought out and engaged in …

Factors That Contribute To Persistence And Retention Of Underrepresented Minority Undergraduate Students In Science, Technology, Engineering, And Mathematics (Stem), Sidney Kirk Mitchell

Dissertations

The objective of this research was to identify specific factors that contribute to underrepresented minority (African American, Hispanic, Native American) undergraduate students‟ success in STEM disciplines at a regional university during the 2007-2010 timeframe. As more underrepresented minority (URM) students complete STEM degrees, many will possess the skills to become part of the domestic human capital needed to meet U. S. workforce demands and enhance the nation‟s STEM innovation. According to Burke and Mattis (2007), the lack of URM students in STEM education and in the workforce is one of the major contributors to STEM shortages in the United States. …