Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Career step'
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1
Prasad, Vandita. "Designing and Implementing an Evaluability Assessment of a Career-Technical Education Program as the First Step towards Validating Program Effectiveness: A Case Study of Toledo Technology Academy." University of Toledo / OhioLINK, 2017. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo1493376254695467.
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Newton, Sunni Haag. "Gender differences in STEM academic career paths." Diss., Georgia Institute of Technology, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/1853/49095.
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An investigation of several potential explanatory factors underlying the discrepant gender distributions within STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) field positions across different higher education institution types was undertaken. Data collection consisted of a main online survey of a nationally representative sample of STEM faculty members from a variety of institution types (N = 4, 195) and a follow-up survey of a subset of main survey respondents (N = 712). Regression analyses were conducted to assess predictors of initial job preference, work hours, and WFC (work-family conflict). Family friendliness ratings of research jobs, work centrality, and rated importance of the family friendliness of various jobs during one’s initial job search predicted initial job preferences and displayed significant gender differences, so these variables are supported as explanatory factors underlying the discrepant gender distributions across institution types. In predicting work hours, the presence of dependent children was associated with significantly reduced work hours among women but not among men. Workload emerged as the only consistent significant predictor of WFC. Comparisons of respondents employed at research-focused and teaching-focused institutions revealed nonsignificant or smaller than expected differences in workload, WFC, and work centrality. These findings run counter to reported faculty beliefs that jobs at teaching-focused institutions are more family friendly than those at research-focused institutions. Women reported adjusting their work goals and habits in order to accommodate their family goals, and vice versa, more frequently than did men. Women frequently reported heightened commitments to their families, relative to those reported by men, although in some cases the predicted gender differences were not observed or were of smaller magnitude than was expected. Analyses were conducted separately for two cohort groups created by splitting the sample at year in which PhD was earned. These two cohort groups differ in meaningful ways with respect to the relationships among the variables under investigation, such that many observed gender differences were isolated to, and/or were stronger within, the group of earlier PhD earners as compared to the group of later PhD earners. These results highlight how and why male and female faculty members differ in their early career planning decisions and their behaviors and adjustments within the context of their STEM higher education career paths.
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Hart, Shuniqua Michelle. "Rural Science Teachers' Intentions of Integrating STEM Career-Related Lessons." ScholarWorks, 2018. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/5718.
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Researchers have shown rural elementary and middle-grade science teachers' inability to integrate STEM career-related lessons into their curricula despite engagement in professional development linked to the teachers' intent-driven beliefs. Researchers, however, have not investigated the influence of intentions on teachers' abilities to integrate STEM career-related lessons into science instruction. The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to understand how intentions impacted rural elementary and middle-grade teachers' ability to integrate STEM career-related lessons during science instruction. Guided by Ajzen's (1988) theory of planned behavior, this study was designed to examine teachers' intentions to integrate STEM career-related lessons during science instruction and the underlying causes of such intentions. In this transcendental phenomenological study, reflective journal entries and interview data were collected through purposeful sampling of 10 rural elementary and middle-grade science teachers. Data were analyzed using a modification of the Van Kaam method of analysis. Findings showed that teachers intended to regularly integrate STEM career-related lessons, but needed more support from their administrators, colleagues, and community partners in fulfilling their intents to integrate STEM career-related lessons. Additional studies are needed for an increased understanding of how teachers in rural areas intend to integrate STEM career-related lessons amid challenges rural teachers face. This study may be of benefit to administrators and teachers who want to unite efforts in constructing a positive climate of integrating STEM career-related lessons during science instruction.
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Peterson, Bryanne. "Applying Curriculum Treatments to Improve STEM Attitudes and Promote STEM Career Interest in Fifth Graders." Diss., Virginia Tech, 2018. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/94557.
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The Federal Government has called for an overhaul of STEM education, saying that we as a nation must increase "opportunities for young Americans to gain strong STEM skills" (Office of Science and Technology Policy, 2013, p.1). Economically, these skills expand beyond those that make good doctors, professors, and engineers; there is a world of jobs going unfilled because our students are graduating without the skills or knowledge that such opportunities exist. To increase the future STEM workforce, we first need to increase student awareness of a variety of STEM careers early on (Tai et al., 2006). Career decisions are being made by students as early as middle school (Tai et al., 2006); and very little if any STEM career exploration is occurring before high school. This lack of early exposure to STEM career options means that students are likely making decisions about career choices without accurate information; choosing a path before knowing about all the options. This research is broken into two manuscripts; the first of which examined the impacts of design-based learning and scientific inquiry curriculum treatments with embedded career content on the career interest of fifth-grade students as compared to traditional classroom methods. It found that there is an upward trend in career interest with the use of these curriculum treatments, but it is not a significant change, likely due to the short time period of the unit and/or small n. The second manuscript examined the effect of a design-based learning curriculum treatment implementation for a single unit on Radford City Schools fifth-grade students' STEM attitudes and interest in STEM careers through a pre/post design. The study showed statistically significant growth in overall STEM attitudes and within the science subtest specifically. Career interest in the general field of science showed a significant increase, while a change of interest in specific career areas was not statistically significant. Collectively, this research serves as a foundation for the effectiveness of having career awareness and career exposure opportunities built into active learning instruction, which does not occur currently. Built on secondary principles, but at a level appropriate for elementary students, using active learning opportunities with embedded career connections has the potential to be an effective solution to students' premature exclusion of STEM-related study and work options identified in the literature. Through preliminary exposure to this unique combination at the elementary level, a stronger foundation can be built for both ability and interest in STEM.Ph. D.
The Federal Government has called for an overhaul of STEM education, saying that we as a nation must increase “opportunities for young Americans to gain strong STEM skills” (Office of Science and Technology Policy, 2013, p.1). Economically, these skills expand beyond those that make good doctors, professors, and engineers; there is a world of jobs going unfilled because our students are graduating without the skills or knowledge that such opportunities exist. To increase the future STEM workforce, we first need to increase student awareness of a variety of STEM careers early on (Tai et al., 2006). Career decisions are being made by students as early as middle school (Tai et al., 2006); and very little if any STEM career exploration is occurring before high school. This lack of early exposure to STEM career options means that students are likely making decisions about career choices without accurate information; choosing a path before knowing about all the options. This research is broken into two manuscripts; the first of which examined the impacts of design-based learning and scientific inquiry curriculum treatments with embedded career content on the career interest of fifth-grade students as compared to traditional classroom methods. It found that there is an upward trend in career interest with the use of these curriculum treatments, but it is not a significant change, likely due to the short time period of the unit and/or small n. The second manuscript examined the effect of a design-based learning curriculum treatment implementation for a single unit on Radford City Schools fifth-grade students’ STEM attitudes and interest in STEM careers through a pre/post design. The study showed statistically significant growth in overall STEM attitudes and within the science subtest specifically. Career interest in the general field of science showed a significant increase, while a change of interest in specific career areas was not statistically significant. Collectively, this research serves as a foundation for the effectiveness of having career awareness and career exposure opportunities built into active learning instruction, which does not occur currently. Built on secondary principles, but at a level appropriate for elementary students, using active learning opportunities with embedded career connections has the potential to be an effective solution to students’ premature exclusion of STEM-related study and work options identified in the literature. Through preliminary exposure to this unique combination at the elementary level, a stronger foundation can be built for both ability and interest in STEM.
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Kendall, Katherine A. "STEM Vocational Socialization and Career Development in Middle Schools." Thesis, Trevecca Nazarene University, 2017. http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=10620079.
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Economic forecasts predict an unprecedented shortage of STEM workers in the United States. This study examined the vocational anticipatory socialization factors and classroom stratagems influencing middle school students’ science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) career development. Student attitudes towards STEM content areas and related career aspirations were measured. Parental, peer, media, out-of-school time activities and physical school environmental influences were examined along with teacher and school counselor capacities. The results showed middle schools were not actively engaging in STEM identity formation and career development practices nor were they providing out-of-school time STEM activities for their students. Parents, peers and the use of the online learning platform, Learning Blade did, however, have significant influences on students’ STEM career development.
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Turen, Ege. "Gender Identity in Career Decisions| Masculinity and Femininity in STEM and non-STEM fields." Thesis, Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville, 2016. http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=10009328.
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The purpose of the present study is investigating whether gender identity (masculinity and femininity) has an effect on women?s career choices (STEM or non-STEM), and their person-environment fit, job satisfaction, and turnover intentions with their choices. One-hundred eight-two female employees recruited via Amazon?s Mechanical Turk and a snowball/network sampling strategy completed an online survey. The results supported that masculine females were more represented in STEM jobs. However, feminine females were not more represented in non-STEM jobs. Furthermore, results revealed that higher person environment fit resulted with higher job satisfaction and lower turnover intentions for female employees. However, there were no significant relationship between gender identity, and person-environment fit, job satisfaction, and turnover intentions. These results suggest that gender identity may affect female employees? career decisions, and their person-environment fit is important for their job satisfaction and turnover intentions.
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Ramlakhan, Nirmala. "A Comparative Investigation of Career Readiness and Decidedness in First Year STEM Majoring Students Participating in a STEM Mentoring Program Imbedded in a Living-Learning Community With Focused Data on Female STEM Students." Doctoral diss., University of Central Florida, 2012. http://digital.library.ucf.edu/cdm/ref/collection/ETD/id/5447.
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Female mentoring success was investigated as an undergraduate intervention utilizing career development practices to reduce dysfunctional career thinking and STEM major retention in first year freshmen females within a living-learning community. Repeated measures MANOVAs and canonical correlations in the causal comparative research design evaluated mentoring's influence on first year females. Male voluntary participants (n = 126) formulated the comparison group, and female voluntary participants (n = 75) filled the treatment group. Repeated measure multivariate analyses of variances compared differences between the interaction of mentoring and gender over time on dysfunctional career thinking using two assessments: Career Thoughts Inventory (CTI) and Career Decision Scale (CDS) and their five subscales (decision-making confusion, commitment anxiety, external conflict, certainty and indecision). Canonical correlations analyzed the effect participation rates had on student change scores on the CTI and CDS, indicating mentoring intervention effects on reducing dysfunctional career thinking and decidedness. Conclusions included: (a) females had higher levels of dysfunctional career thinking than males; (b) overtime both groups decreased dysfunctional thoughts,and solidifying their STEM career choices; (c) females had reduced levels of career decidedness compared to males; (d) both groups increased certainty overtime, solidifying their STEM career choice, and (e) when the STEM career choice was made, female certainty was more solidified than males. The study adds to the career development research within STEM at the undergraduate level providing colleges and universities with a structured first year female mentoring program in STEM. The GEMS model may be ideal for colleges and universities utilizing living-learning communities to increase underrepresented female retention and those without STEM career planning courses.?Ph.D.
Doctorate
Education and Human Performance
Education; Science Education
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Kinoshita, Timothy Jon. "An Exploration of the Enrollment and Outcomes of the Virginia Governor's STEM Academies." Diss., Virginia Tech, 2020. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/99899.
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Although originally conceived as an educational intervention for at-risk students, modern career academies have expanded their scope to programs designed to promote critical thinking, problem solving, and analytical skills to be successful in an advanced career path. Through the integration of career and technical education courses and a rigorous, college preparatory academic curriculum, career academies serve as a key piece of a larger strategy for developing a well- prepared STEM workforce. This study focuses on the Virginia Governor's STEM Academies, a state-wide initiative containing programs designed to expand options for the general student population to acquire STEM literacy and other critical skills, knowledge and credentials that will prepare them for high-demand, high-wage, and high-skill careers. Currently, 22 Academies exist serving students across 36 Virginia School Divisions.
Using educational administrative data housed within the Virginia Longitudinal Data System, I examined the Virginia Governor's STEM Academies regarding characteristics of student participation and the relationship between Academy participation and high school and postsecondary outcomes. Using multi-level regression modeling, I found that male students, Asian and Hispanic students, and non-economically disadvantage students have a higher rate of Academy participation. After matching students with propensity score matching on demographic and early academic characteristics, I find that Academy participants are more likely to take Algebra II at an earlier grade, enroll in more Career and Technical Education and dual enrollment courses, and declare a STEM major after enrolling at a postsecondary institution.
This research provides a valuable new contribution to the study of career academies after such educational programs have undergone a paradigm shift to preparing students for high-demand, high-wage, and high-skill careers. By incorporating propensity score matching and multi-level regression model, I employ a statistically rigorous approach that can serve as important benchmarking of the enrollment and academic outcomes of the Virginia Governor's STEM Academies.Doctor of Philosophy
Although originally conceived as an educational intervention for at-risk students, modern career academies have expanded their scope to programs designed to promote critical thinking, problem solving, and analytical skills to be successful in an advanced career path. Through the integration of career and technical education courses and a rigorous, college preparatory academic curriculum, career academies serve as a key piece of a larger strategy for developing a well- prepared STEM workforce. This study focuses on the Virginia Governor's STEM Academies, a state-wide initiative containing programs designed to expand options for the general student population to acquire STEM literacy and other critical skills, knowledge and credentials that will prepare them for high-demand, high-wage, and high-skill careers. Currently, 22 Academies exist serving students across 36 Virginia School Divisions. Using educational administrative data housed within the Virginia Longitudinal Data System, I examined the Virginia Governor's STEM Academies regarding characteristics of student participation and the relationship between Academy participation and high school and postsecondary outcomes. Using multi-level regression modeling, I found that male students, Asian and Hispanic students, and non-economically disadvantage students have a higher rate of Academy participation. After matching students with propensity score matching on demographic and early academic characteristics, I find that Academy participants are more likely to take Algebra II at an earlier grade, enroll in more Career and Technical Education and dual enrollment courses, and declare a STEM major after enrolling at a postsecondary institution. This research provides a valuable new contribution to the study of career academies after such educational programs have undergone a paradigm shift to preparing students for high-demand, high-wage, and high-skill careers. By incorporating propensity score matching and multi-level regression model, I employ a statistically rigorous approach that can serve as important benchmarking of the enrollment and academic outcomes of the Virginia Governor's STEM Academies.
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Lavorata, PhD Dr Reagan Lorraine. "Science Technology Engineering Math (STEM) Classes and Females' Career Choices." ScholarWorks, 2017. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/3353.
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Females have been discouraged from taking science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) classes during high school and college, resulting in limited access to high-paying STEM careers. Therefore, these females could miss opportunities for these high-paying careers. The rationale of this research was to quantify the relationship between the number of STEM classes the sampled females took, the number of female role models they had during high school and college, their career choices, and salaries. The theoretical construct was based on Erikson's social developmental theory, which postulates a relationship between earlier life events and later life events, and Acker's masculinity theory, which postulates that females in traditionally male fields may be uneasy performing functions opposite to what they naturally perform. Key questions examined the relationships between STEM classes, role models, career choices, and salaries. The sample was a stratified random sample (n = 48) of female alumnae of 4 universities, born after 1980. Data were collected from a designed online instrument, validated by a pilot. The data were analyzed with a multiple regression and an analysis of variance. The findings revealed a significant relationship between the number of STEM classes, career choices and salary. However, there was no significance found between the numbers of role models, career choices and salary The implication for social change is that by making scholars in the fields of education and management aware about the relationship between the number of STEM classes taken, career choices, and salaries, females can be more encouraged to become interested in STEM courses earlier in life, making it more likely they will choose STEM careers This can be accomplished through scholarly journals, which hopefully will improve perceptions of the STEM abilities of females.
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Slaton, LaVonne. "STEM ENTREPRENEURS:EDUCATING SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING AND MATHEMATICS (STEM) UNDERREPRESENTED MINORITIES (URM) AND NON-MINORITIES FOR JOB SATISFACTION AND CAREER SUCCESSSTEM Entrepreneurs Educating for Job Satisfaction and Career Success." Case Western Reserve University School of Graduate Studies / OhioLINK, 2018. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1522675787168487.
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Briones, San Juanita G. "Diverse Learners in the Classroom: Students with Special Needs Enrolled in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Texas Public Classrooms." Thesis, University of North Texas, 2019. https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1538641/.
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The purpose of this study was to determine if students with special needs participating in an inclusive classroom can learn the skills related to a STEM career as compared to the general student population. The study involved seventh grade students from two rural middle schools in north central Texas and was framed through a constructivist lens using a quasi-experimental design with a convenience sample. The Solenoid Invention Kit Assessment and the STEM Semantics Survey used in this study were used from a previously large existing dataset from a grant funded by the National Science Foundation for Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers. Findings suggested that there were no significant differences between the general student population and students with special needs. However, STEM coursework in an inclusive classroom may impact students' decision to pursue STEM careers.
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Mazzola, Bridget T. "The Neurosociologial Approach to Gender Bias in STEM Careers." Kent State University Honors College / OhioLINK, 2018. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ksuhonors1525709719265255.
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Rischard, Kyla Alexandra. "STEM UP: A STEM Undergraduate Program to Help Middle School Youth Select STEM Majors and Careers through Cognitive Apprenticeship." Thesis, The University of Arizona, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/595808.
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This study examined how middle school students planned to obtain future STEM college majors and careers through a possible selves curriculum in a 13-week, in-school cognitive apprenticeship model. STEM undergraduates mentored STEM-interested middle school mentees (N= 21) from six under-served middle schools. Through possible selves activities, mentees worked on strategies to avoid becoming their feared possible self and become their hoped-for possible self. In the middle of the semester, mentee self-reported competency in STEM fields, motivation, administrator-reported STEM course grades, and STEM attendance were collected. On average, mentees felt 10.67% more motivated to pursue STEM than they felt competent in STEM. Mentees who reported higher competency tended to have higher course grades, and mentees who reported higher motivation tended to have higher attendance, although attendance was high overall, indicating insufficient sample size or variance to demonstrate significance. Mentees who attended class more tended to have a higher course grade but the same statistical issue occurred in that there may not have been a significant correlation due to sampling and self- selection biases. The majority of mentees identified unrelated possible selves, defined concrete self-improvement and abstract self-maintenance strategies, identified self-discipline as a requirement in middle school, described intellectual independence and teacher harmony strategies to solve everyday problems in middle school, identified instructivist college requirements, described responsibility as a transferable strategy, and dependence on an expert as a nontransferable strategy to solve long-term problems in college to obtain their STEM possible self.
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Cadaret, Michael C. "Stereotype Threat as a Barrier to Women Entering Stem Careers." University of Akron / OhioLINK, 2015. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1435939180.
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Brimmer, Linda Ertrachter. "Careers in STEM Begin with Elementary Student Interest in Mathematics." ScholarWorks, 2017. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/4272.
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I investigated why math capable students are not entering science, technology,
engineering, and math (STEM) careers. To research the problem, I explored how highly
effective elementary math teachers (HEMT) create student interest in mathematics using the self-
efficacy (SE) theory and information and communication technology (ICT). The purpose
of the study was to discover if teacher training and instructional strategies can influence
student interest in mathematics to improve STEM career entry. The theoretical
framework adopted for this study was the SE theory, and the 4-phase model of interest
development was the conceptual framework. Participants in this multi-case qualitative
study included 5 HEMT who work in a southern ICT-based urban school. The data
gathered were individual teacher observations, interviews, and discussions about student
artifacts, which were then analyzed for themes and patterns using NVivo software. The
results indicated that the teacher participants use vertical curriculum experiences to
improve student SE in 4th and 5th-grade students to fill-in curriculum gaps. Also,
problem-solving math equations based on real-world simulations are used to stimulate
and sustain a perceived student interest in mathematics. Additionally, ICT was used to
augment math lessons and to personalize learning. Society will benefit from this
information when educational stakeholders implement instructional strategies that
improve student interest through the use of real life scenarios. Real-world math
applications can influence elementary student interest in taking higher levels of math
education that lead to STEM careers.
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Ortega-Verdugo, Paula. "Two-step selective caries removal of extensive lesions: treatment decision factors, success and cost-effectiveness." Diss., University of Iowa, 2019. https://ir.uiowa.edu/etd/7007.
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The treatment of deep carious lesions (DCLs) represents a challenge for dentists, as these lesions require removal of dentin in proximity to the pulp that represents a higher risk of ending in pulp exposure. There is increasing evidence supporting minimally invasive caries removal methods, such as stepwise excavation procedure (SWP), instead of non-selective (complete) dentin caries removal for the treatment of DCLs. However, recent research has indicated that dentists have not completely adopted less invasive caries removal methods for the management of DCLs. These studies have been primarily conducted in Europe or South America; thus, few studies have been conducted in the United States to understand dentists’ management options of deep carious lesions in permanent teeth. Additionally, the proportion of dentists who would be willing to adopt less invasive carious tissue removal is unknown, especially in the United States.
This dissertation consists of three studies that analyzed the effectiveness of SWP, the factors associated with success, an assessment of its costs and the acceptability of this treatment among U.S dentists.
Study I assessed the patient factors predicting a successful SWP by retrospectively investigating a sample from the University of Iowa College of Dentistry from January 2004 through December 2012. Study I showed that SWPs showed a 75% success rate when evaluated within 36 months of the initial treatment. Patients who had a successful SWP treatment were slightly younger than patients whose SWP treatment was not successful.
Study II performed a cost-effectiveness analysis by comparing SWP vs. the standard caries treatment (complete caries removal). Study II showed that SWP significantly reduced cost, resulting in an average savings of 64% compared to TCR over a 5-year period.
Study III consisted of a statewide survey that contacted 1,434 Iowa dentists with the aim of identifying the most important factors that influence dentists’ decisions for DCLs treatment using conjoint analysis. From the total, 36.4% (n=522) clinicians answered the survey. One of the main study findings was that among the three factors (hardness of dentin, depth of the lesion and patient age) depth of the lesion was the most important factor influencing dentists’s decision when selecting a less invasive caries removal method. Study III did not find any significant association between years of practicing dentistry, type of practice and practice setting regarding being willing to select a less invasive caries removal method.
In conclusion, this dissertation has demonstrated that the stepwise caries removal is a cost-saving and highly successful treatment for the management of deep caries lesions. Studies I and II have shown that this method has a high clinical success rate and less long-term treatment costs. Regarding the acceptability of SWP among clinicians, this dissertation has shown that most dentists in Iowa would consider less invasive caries methods for a DCL; however, these techniques have not been completely adopted and accepted among American dentists. Thus, dentists should be trained in less invasive caries methods, given instruction about which criteria they should use to assess a DCL, and provide them with the best evidence-based strategies for managing deep lesions. The findings of this dissertation should engage stakeholders to provide dentists with professional incentives for using these techniques. Specifically, our results support the idea that SWP minimizes costs while providing the appropriate patient care.
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Ferro, Melyssa D. "STEM Influence on Career Choice Variables of Middle School Students Based on Gender and Ethnicity." ScholarWorks, 2019. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/7643.
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Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) are growing fields in both global job markets and educational spaces. The problem related to this study was the lack of understanding of how gender and ethnicity might relate to differences in the science self-efficacy, outcome expectations, and task interest of students who have participated in STEM intervention programs at the middle school level. The purpose of this quantitative study was to explore the extent to which there were differences between the dependent variables of science self-efficacy, outcome expectations, and task interest in U.S. middle school students based on the independent variables of gender and ethnicity after participating in a citizen science STEM intervention program. Social cognitive career theory was the theoretical framework for the study. This study was a nonexperimental comparative investigation based on survey responses from students who had participated in a water quality, citizen science STEM intervention from 2017-2019. The participating students’ school district has a history of multiple, systemic STEM learning experiences. The results of two-way MANOVA indicated that there were no statistically significant differences in career choice variables between male and female students and between non-Hispanic and Hispanic students after participating in a citizen science intervention program. This study has the potential to help students from underrepresented populations to envision success in their STEM educational and career pathways by seeing other students experience success in those areas. Educators may also be better able to design programs that address the specific needs of underrepresented student populations, which may lead to better student outcomes for those groups.
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Krachenfels, Jessica Tanya. "Interactive Science Notebooks: Exploring the Extent Which Integrating a New Learning Tool Supports Self-Efficacy in Expressing Science Content Knowledge and Interest in Pursuing a STEM Related Career." Diss., Virginia Tech, 2019. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/91185.
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Interactive science notebooks, used as a learning tool during science instruction, was found to have a positive influence on student self-efficacy in expressing science content knowledge and interest in pursuing a STEM-related career. This study, involving 25 participants, discusses the integration of interactive notebooks into two elementary school classrooms in a rural Kentucky community over 55 instructional days. Through an explanatory sequential multiple-method research design, a quantitative survey given at two intervals, pre and post study, and qualitative student interviews, data found that 76% of the sample had an increase in their overall attitude toward science and 10 out of 12 STEM careers had an increase in overall interest at the conclusion of the study. The qualitative data, three oral interviews, revealed that 22 participants referenced an increase in science interest, two participants stayed the same, and one participant noted a decrease in interest. Nine participants felt that their interest in pursuing a STEM career remained about the same or had no significant changes since their initial survey and 16 participants referenced an increase in pursuing a STEM career in their final interview. This study aims to engage educators and administration in conversation about an explanatory sequential multiple-methods research design involving a unique population of transient students and the influence of a new learning tool used in the classroom.Doctor of Philosophy
Interactive science notebooks, used as a learning tool during science instruction, was found to have a positive influence on student self-efficacy in expressing science content knowledge and interest in pursuing a STEM-related career. This study, involving 25 participants, discusses the integration of interactive notebooks into two elementary school classrooms in a rural Kentucky community over 55 instructional days. Seventy six percent of the population had an increase in their overall attitude toward science and ten out of twelve STEM careers had an increase in overall interest at the conclusion of the study. This study aims to engage educators and administration in conversation about an explanatory sequential multiple-method research design involving a unique population of transient students and the influence of a new learning tool used in the classroom.
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Amon, Mary Jean. "Evaluating Implicit and Explicit Stereotype Activation in Professional Development Settings for STEM Women." University of Cincinnati / OhioLINK, 2013. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1382372649.
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Kager, Elisabeth. "Effects of Participation in a STEM Camp on STEM Attitudes and Anticipated Career Choices of Middle School Girls: A Mixed Methods Study." Ohio University / OhioLINK, 2015. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1427812431.
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Brown, Arogeanae Ronterria Dinita. "Reframing AgriCULTURAL Experiences, Narratives, and Careers for African American Youth: A Study of Community-based Programs Leaders' Motivations and Educational Space." Thesis, Virginia Tech, 2018. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/84495.
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To uncover experiences specific to African Americans youth in agricultural and STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) career explorations and to understand why African Americans are missing from agriculture and STEM, a systematic literature review and empirical study were conducted. Literature covering the current and past African American perceptions of agriculture and STEM discipline, and narratives and experiences of African Americans in agriculture, were reviewed to explain their influences on African American youth perceptions and interest to pursue careers in agriculture and STEM. However, literature also explained the role of agricultural programs in STEM and agricultural literacy. In one paper, Social Cognitive Career Theory was used to frame the career interest development process of the individual learner to reference African American Youth. This review captured African American's negative connotations of agricultural and STEM despite the knowledge and work African Americans have contributed to Agriculture and STEM since the formation of America. In addition, to address how to deter the negative connotations youth have, an empirical study was performed interviewing eight program leaders of community-based organizations that are engaging African American youth in agricultural and STEM education. Program leaders described their motivations and purpose as an act of service to the youth and the community as a way to provide youth with opportunities or capital as described by Bourdieu.Master of Science in Life Sciences
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Schneider, Madalyn R. "Middle School Students' Attitudes toward Math and STEM Career Interests: A 4-Year Follow-Up." OpenSIUC, 2014. https://opensiuc.lib.siu.edu/dissertations/922.
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The purpose of the current study is to examine middle school students' attitudes toward math, intent to pursue STEM-related education and occupations, and STEM interest from middle school to high school. The data used in this study are from a larger, on-going National Science Foundation (NSF) grant-funded study that is investigating middle school students' disengagement while using the Assistments system (Baker, Heffernan & San Pedro, 2012), a computer-based math tutoring system. The NSF grant study aims to explore how disengagement with STEM material can aid in the prediction of students' college enrollment as well as how it may interact with other factors affecting students' career choices (San Pedro, Baker, Bowers, Heffernan, 2013). Participants are students from urban and suburban schools in Massachusetts measured first in middle school and again four years later. Measures at Time 1 included: various items related to attitudes toward mathematics, occupations they could see themselves doing as adults, and the Brief Self-Control Scale (Tangney, Baumeister, & Luzio Boone, 2004). Measures at Time 2 included: items requesting the students' current mathematics and science courses and intended majors or occupations following high school graduation. Exploratory factor analysis, multiple regression and logistic regression analyses were used to test the following four hypotheses: I. There will be several distinct factors that emerge to provide information about middle school students' attitudes toward math; II. Students' attitudes toward math will correlate positively and significantly with students' intent to pursue STEM-related careers at Time 1 with a medium effect; III. Middle school attitudes toward mathematics will relate positively and significantly to level of high school mathematics and science courses with a medium effect; IV. Middle school intent to pursue STEM will correlate positively and significantly with high school intent to pursue STEM majors/careers with a medium effect. Results supported a 2-factor model of Attitudes toward Mathematics consisting of Math Self-Concept and Attitudes toward Assistments. Other significant findings include: a positive relationship between students' Attitudes toward Assistments and level of math class taken in high school; a positive relationship between students' Math Self-Concept and Self Control; a positive relationship between Self Control and students' endorsement of STEM careers while in middle school, and discrepancy between male and female students' endorsement of STEM careers as early as middle school. Although many of the study's primary hypotheses were not supported, the present study provides a framework and baseline for several important considerations. Limitations, including those related to the present study's small sample size, and future implications of the present study, which add to career development literature in STEM, are discussed in regard to both research and practice.
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Arnett, Alexandra N. "The Gender Gap in STEM: Do Conservative Gender Role Attitudes in Adolescent Girls Affect the Likelihood of Working in a STEM Career?" Scholarship @ Claremont, 2016. http://scholarship.claremont.edu/cmc_theses/1428.
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Women today are still highly outnumbered by men in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). This study analyzes the relationship between girls’ gender role attitudes in adolescence and their likelihood of working in a STEM occupation between the ages of 25 and 30 years old. My paper focuses on how conservative gender role attitudes, with men thought of as the breadwinners and women as the homemakers, may negatively affect a woman’s likelihood of holding a STEM career. I use data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (NLSY79) to analyze both a strict definition of STEM as well as a broader one that includes related professions in the social sciences and teaching. Via a regression approach, I hold constant other adolescent attributes to find a direct, negative relationship between adolescent girls with conservative gender role attitudes and future STEM careers. I find that for strict STEM careers, women are .46 percentage points less likely than men to work in STEM between the ages of 25 and 30 years old with statistical significance at the 1% level. Creating an interaction variable for conservative gender role attitudes and female, I distinguish by gender to find an additional improbability of holding a STEM job for conservative women. Conservative women are .32 percentage points less likely work in a STEM job between the ages of 25 and 30 years old with statistical significance at the 5% level. Helping to explain the gender gap in STEM, my results show that adolescent girls with conservative gender role attitudes are much less likely than boys to work in a STEM career.
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Mlinar, Sharyn Elizabeth. "A Delphi Study of the Potential Influence of Women in STEM Careers." ScholarWorks, 2015. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/522.
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American businesses are working with educational institutions to attract women into technical and scientific professions. However, less than one quarter of the people working in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) are women. The educational system as-a-pipeline model is not supplying business with skilled workers, specifically female STEM employees. Organizational change must occur and this process begins with the organization's leadership. Guided by the the conceptual frameworks of Kotter & Rathgeber and Kouzes & Posner, this Delphi study asked 54 female professionals, in various locations across the United States, about what influenced them in their education and career choices. Responses were collected from an internet survey and the emergent themes were deduced by graphical means using word clouds and word counts. The evaluation indicated that early interests in science were generated through networking experiences that occurred both in and out of the educational environment. Pro-male bias and lack of encouragement 'influenced the women's decision making while studying and working. To obtain the female professionals they need for the future, business leaders need to fund research, and provide internships, networking, and shadowing opportunities with current professionals. Leaders and managers also need to provide unbiased and supportive educational and workplace environments where women study and work. These social and organizational changes will allow women to become the needed workers for American businesses to maintain a technological presence in the world marketplace.
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Tai, Chih-Che, Ryan A. Nivens, and Karin J. Keith. "Partnerships for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Education and Career Prosperity." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2019. https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu-works/3268.
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The purpose of this chapter is to report on partnerships between local school agents, business partners, institutes of higher education, and nonprofit organizations that promote science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) activities that enhance career opportunities for students. The authors share the importance of these partnerships as well as the benefits that result for all members. In addition to describing the benefits of the partnerships, the authors lay out techniques used to manage and develop partnerships. Most importantly, the authors share the outcomes of these partnerships, including professional development projects rooted in the work between the member partners. The chapter provides data about the impact of these partnerships on students' academic achievement and concludes with recommendations and suggestions to develop and sustain partnerships.
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Holland, Marcia Annette. "Aerospace and Defense Industries Online Recruiting of College and University Graduates: Strategies Toward Defining a Comprehensive Informational Benchmark." Thesis, University of North Texas, 2011. https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc84219/.
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This qualitative, inductive study analyzed online recruiting information posted at the websites of five major aerospace and defense corporations to recruit college juniors, seniors, and recent graduates. Recruitment of this group is critical to staff the personnel for the scientific, technical, and management needs of aerospace and defense industries. The study sought: (1) to determine the use of multiple recruitment factors inferred from the literature and recommended for successful recruitment of college graduates, (2) to determine use of online social media (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn) to recruit this population, and (3) to explore commonalities among these corporations regarding online recruiting information to determine if a model for online recruitment now exists. A matrix of recruitment factors was developed from a review of the literature on the personnel needs of this industry and on effective recruiting factors for this group. Content analysis involved filtering information at each website with the matrix. Conclusions of this study include: (1) the matrix of recruitment factors and the rating scale developed for the purposes of this study provide a tool for researching, documenting, and comparing recruitment information on the internet; (2) that while these corporations represent the latest applications in technology in their manufacturing processes and products, they do not use social networking technology to the extent the popular and scholarly literature indicate is typical for the target group. Given that the current generation exhibits extensive use of social media, several of these corporations’ websites appear not to utilize this networking technology. Informally, these corporations argue that cyber-security prevents extensive use of social networking sites. Thus, these corporations must determine how to maintain cyber-security while at the same time adopting more accepted use of social networking platforms.
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Lightner, Noll Judy. "Cultural Adjustment and Career Navigation of International Faculty Women in STEM: U.S. Transitions and Confucianist Influences." Kent State University / OhioLINK, 2021. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1623847556409118.
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Wallbank, Kathleen L. "Haematopoietic stem cell transplantation: Evaluation of a patient and carer psychoeducation programme." University of Sydney, 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/2123/4326.
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Master of ScienceHaematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is a complicated and high-risk procedure used to cure disease or stop the spread of disease in a range of cancers. HSCT carries a high incidence of mortality and is associated with distressing short and long-term side effects. In addition, patients remain at risk of recurrence or mortality years after transplantation. Therefore, patients undergoing HSCT have been found to experience significant emotional and psychosocial distress because of the trauma associated with treatment. The literature suggests that about 50% of HSCT patients will experience clinical levels of distress. Carers and family members play an important role in caring for these ill patients in the short and long-term. Major role changes and financial stressors are experienced in many families, adding to the burden of care. However, very little is known about the rates of psychopathology in carers of HSCT patients. Due to the arduous nature of HSCT, psycho-educational programmes have been developed by major transplant centres and hospitals in order to provide HSCT patients and their families with information on the treatment process, side effects, risks, and long-term outcomes. Research on patient education in oncology has shown that providing patients and carers with information about their illness and treatment reduces anxiety and distress. To date, there have been no empirical evaluations to support the use of education programmes for HSCT patients. While it could be assumed that information would be helpful in reducing anxiety and depression in HSCT as it is in oncology generally, the information provided to these patients is usually more confronting and therefore, may be less reassuring. Thus, it is not known whether providing patients with education about HSCT reduces patient and carer distress or whether it might actually increase adverse outcomes. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the rates and correlates of distress in carers and patients and examine the effect of a psychoeducation programme for patients undergoing HSCT and their carers on knowledge, distress, information satisfaction, social support and caregiver burden. A randomised control trial was conducted to provide empirical data in relation to the latter aim. The following hypotheses were proposed. Firstly, it was hypothesised that patients and carers who received the education programme would have higher levels of knowledge, not evidenced in a group waiting to receive the programme. Secondly, it was hypothesised that the education program would not lead to increased anxiety and depressive symptoms. Thirdly, patients who know more about their condition would be the least distressed. As predicted, this study found high levels of distress, particularly in carers. Higher patient distress was related to having more concern about one’s illness and experiencing more symptoms. Education was effective in increasing patient and carer knowledge. Importantly there were no adverse effects of knowledge and greater patient knowledge following the education program was associated with less distress, although there was no direct effect of education on distress. Future research should aim to identify what aspects of the education program are helpful to patients. Finally, support interventions such as CBT are needed to help patients and carers, in particular, cope with the high levels of distress inherent in the HSCT experience.
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Periathiruvadi, Sita. "Investigating the Relationship Between Internet Attitudes of College Students and Their Stem (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Career Perceptions." Thesis, University of North Texas, 2013. https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc500153/.
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Are our students just consumers of technology or do their interests in technology translate into positive perceptions about STEM majors and careers? This research aimed to describe the role of the Internet in undergraduate students’ academic and career perceptions in STEM areas. The purpose of the research was addressed in three parts. First, the attitudes of undergraduate students towards five functions of the Internet namely tool, toy, treasure, telephone and territory were described. Second, students’ STEM career-related perceptions were described in terms of their science and mathematics self-efficacy, outcome expectations, and attitudes towards a STEM career. Third, the relationship between the five Internet functions and the three STEM career-related perceptions was examined. The participants for this study were 566 undergraduate students from a large Southern university. The research design followed a mixed methods approach using multivariate analyses and content analyses. The findings of the research indicated that there was a small but meaningful relationship between undergraduate students’ Internet and STEM perceptions. In their daily lives, the students perceived the Internet more as a toy and a tool. For general career related purposes, they perceived the Internet more as a treasure and a tool. For STEM areas in particular, they perceived the treasure and toy dimensions of the Internet more relevant. Findings on the differences in students’ Internet and STEM career-related perceptions based on gender, major and enrollment in an Honors program are also discussed.
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Cavanaugh, Jacqulyn M. "An Examination of Facilitators and Barriers to Academic Careers for Women in STEM." TopSCHOLAR®, 2017. http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/theses/1943.
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The purpose of the present study was to investigate the facilitators and barriers to women in STEM through comparison to men and non-STEM faculty members. The Pipeline Model and The Vanish Box model were examined to explain the underrepresentation of women in STEM. The current study, using the established facilitators and barriers to women in STEM by Bolton (2016), examined 12 categories that were identified through existing literature, critical incidents (CIs), and a subject-matter expert (SME).
It was hypothesized that Teaching, Service, Research Funding, Mentoring, Professional Development, Administrative Leadership, Hiring Policies, New Child Leave/FMLA policies, and Promotion and Tenure Policies would be identified as barriers to academic careers in STEM disciplines more often than non-STEM disciplines and by women more often than by men. It was also hypothesized that Fairness of Policy Implementation and Practice, Other Policies, and Research Support other than Funding will be identified as a facilitators to women’s academic careers to academic careers in STEM disciplines more often than non-STEM disciplines and by women more often than by men.
Two-hundred and forty-two participants completed a survey via Qualtrics that assessed facilitators and barriers to academic careers. Of those that completed the survey, only 134 were used in the analyses, as identification of sex and STEM status was essential for inclusion in the study. Results revealed that neither hypothesis was confirmed. Exploratory analyses examining the frequencies 12 categories as well as specific facilitators and barriers were conducted. The implications, limitations, and future directions for research were suggested.
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Lane, Erin Megan Davidson. "It takes a village: career development factors for rural, high-potential middle school students." Diss., University of Iowa, 2018. https://ir.uiowa.edu/etd/6170.
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Though a primary purpose of K-12 education in the United States is to prepare students to meet the economic demands of the country, there is currently a major shortage of workers to fill the open positions in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). This shortage is only expected to grow in the coming decade unless a significant number of students choose to pursue STEM careers. Some authors have identified the approximately 1.5 million underserved rural, high-potential students as an untapped population representing future STEM workers. However, school counselors, who oversee most of the career development in K-12 education, currently lack a strong understanding of how to promote STEM college and career readiness with rural, gifted students.
This paper shares the results of a study that examined whether factors such as academic potential, personal traits, or social engagement have an impact on the early career development of gifted students from under-served rural schools. Particularly, the study examined whether a STEM extra-curricular program – STEM Excellence and Leadership – influenced the career development of the rural, gifted middle school student participants. Results indicate that perceived social engagement had the most significant impact on the career development of rural, gifted middle school students, and that the extra-curricular program was helpful in developing their career expectations and goals. The final section of this paper shares important lessons for practicing school counselors and school counseling preparation programs.
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Mills, Leila A. "Indicators of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (Stem) Career Interest Among Middle School Students in the Usa." Thesis, University of North Texas, 2013. https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc283852/.
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This study examines middle school students' perceptions of a future career in a science, math, engineering, or technology (STEM) career field. Gender, grade, predispositions to STEM contents, and learner dispositions are examined for changing perceptions and development in career-related choice behavior. Student perceptions as measured by validated measurement instruments are analyzed pre and post participation in a STEM intervention energy-monitoring program that was offered in several U.S. middle schools during the 2009-2010, 2010-2011 school years. A multiple linear regression (MLR) model, developed by incorporating predictors identified by an examination of the literature and a hypothesis-generating pilot study for prediction of STEM career interest, is introduced. Theories on the career choice development process from authors such as Ginzberg, Eccles, and Lent are examined as the basis for recognition of career concept development among students. Multiple linear regression statistics, correlation analysis, and analyses of means are used to examine student data from two separate program years. Study research questions focus on predictive ability, RSQ, of MLR models by gender/grade, and significance of model predictors in order to determine the most significant predictors of STEM career interest, and changes in students' perceptions pre and post program participation. Analysis revealed increases in the perceptions of a science career, decreases in perceptions of a STEM career, increase of the significance of science and mathematics to predictive models, and significant increases in students' perceptions of creative tendencies.
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Herranz, Joaquin. "Innovating with institutions : how strategic orientations among one-stop career centers influence labor matching, adaptation, and performance." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2003. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/16619.
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Thesis (Ph. D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Urban Studies and Planning, February 2004.Includes bibliographical references (v. 2, leaves 312-317).
This electronic version was submitted by the student author. The certified thesis is available in the Institute Archives and Special Collections.
Set in the context of labor market restructuring, public policy reform, and blurring government/nonprofit boundaries, this study examines the functions, adaptation, and performance of Boston's three One-Stop Career Centers between 1996 and 2002-a time period encompassing distinct eras of changing policy and labor market conditions. Along with other types of labor market intermediaries (LMIs), One-Stop Career Centers have arisen as sites of organizational and institutional innovation in mediating the labor matching process. However, compared to other LMIs, much less is known about career centers' employment brokering operations. This study helps address this research gap by providing a detailed analysis of three career centers. This investigation answers three research questions related to the 1) functions; 2) adaptation; and 3) performance of career centers with differing organizational sponsorships. In doing so, the study develops a conceptual framework based on three strategic orientations-community, bureaucratic, and entrepreneurial-that helps to clarify and categorize organizational processes, change, and outcomes.
(cont.) The study finds that different strategic orientations are related to variation in organizational planning, practice, networks, and performance. Strategic orientation is also found to influence organizational adaptability during both a tight labor market and an economic recession, as well as during implementation of major federal policy changes related to welfare reform and workforce development reform. The study contributes to scholarship on employment brokering and labor market institutional change by offering an empirical analysis and theoretical framework that highlights the emergent role of One-Stop Career Centers as publicly-funded labor market intermediaries. The study is also immediately relevant to policymakers and practitioners involved in the more than 1,900 career centers across the country. For them, this study provides a better understanding of the programmatic trade-offs associated with career center operations and therefore may help them improve the labor matching process for both employers and job-seekers--especially those with barriers to employment.
by Joaquín Herranz, Jr.
Ph.D.
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Meikle, Heather. "The Role of Occupational Values and Support in Career Choice: An Emphasis on Women in Science." Scholar Commons, 2008. https://scholarcommons.usf.edu/etd/395.
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The purpose of this study was to determine how occupational values and social support for career pursuits influenced career choice, with a specific focus on women in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM). A sample of 62 college graduates participated in telephone interviews that addressed gender differences in seven occupational values and three sources of social support. Results showed that differences in occupational values differ by both gender and between individuals in STEM and non-STEM careers. The strength of STEM values better predicted a career in STEM than did gender. Finally, women in STEM received the least amount of social support for their career pursuits. These results underscore the need to encourage women's interest in STEM, and develop interventions for career counselors that specifically address the unique needs of women in non-traditional careers.
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Flores, Ronald D. "Patching the United States STEM Pipeline| How a Person-Centered Analysis of "Fit" Supports Undergraduate Science Career Motivation." Thesis, California State University, Long Beach, 2018. http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=10976055.
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Researchers are learning how to prevent the projected United States shortage of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) professionals by retaining more undergraduates in STEM majors. Specifically, since undergraduates generally want to give back to their communities, they experience heightened science career motivation once they "fit" their communal goals with their views of science careers. However, testing the quality of fit is challenging because individuals differ in communal goals and views of science. For the present study, therefore, a person-centered analytical approach was used to identify groups of STEM undergraduates defined by combinations of communal goal endorsement and perceived communal goal affordances. Four groups were identified: Low Incongruent, Moderately Low Incongruent, Average Congruent, and Moderately High Incongruent. Results showed that undergraduates were optimally motivated when both communal goal endorsement and perceived communal goal affordances were moderately high and incongruent. Results also showed that gender and cultural identity could predict group membership.
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Reid, Ericka L. "Exploring the Experiences of African American Women in an Undergraduate Research Program Designed to Address the Underrepresentation of Women and Minorities in Neuroscience: A Qualitative Analysis." Digital Archive @ GSU, 2009. http://digitalarchive.gsu.edu/epse_diss/66.
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African American women compose a critical proportion of the potential science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) workforce of the future, yet are disproportionately represented and largely underutilized. While various programs and initiatives have been designed and implemented to target women and underrepresented minorities, the voices and experiences of African American women have been insufficiently heard or studied. This study investigates the experiences of four African American female students who participated in a 10-week undergraduate research experience (URE) program designed for the recruitment and retention of women and underrepresented minorities in STEM disciplines. Through autobiographical narratives and interviews participants shared how and in what ways the URE program influenced their career development (namely academic/career interests and choices), what they learned about their interests and choices, and what it means to them to be African American women pursuing science-related careers. Using a qualitative case study analysis, this study focuses on the unique stories of young African-American women participating in their own career development. Seven major themes emerged from the analysis of the data. Each of the participants initially entered the URE with an established interest in science, with an expressed desire for research experience, and with an interest in exploring career options in science. Through their involvement in the URE program, participants experienced a significant increase in self-knowledge and confidence, recognized the existence of social and/or science communities, and either discovered or clarified career interests and possibilities. All participants recognized value in their participation and expressed gratitude for having had the opportunity. Overall, the URE program provided a vital opportunity for participants to play an active role in their own career development. The results of this study emphasize the importance of and need to expand the URE as an avenue for career development and exploration in order to address the lack of such programming for African American women in STEM disciplines.
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Simmons, Jamie Munn. "Characteristics of Exemplary Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM)-Related Experiential Learning Opportunities." Diss., Virginia Tech, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/77527.
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Experiential opportunities at the secondary level give students the 'intimate and necessary relation between the processes of actual experience and education' (Dewey, 1938, p. 19-20). Career and Technical Education classes (CTE) and co-curricular experiences, one type of experiential learning, underpin and cultivate student curiosity and often channel interests into STEM-related post-secondary disciplines and career choices. There is little existent research on the characteristics of exemplary experiential learning opportunities and the impact on stakeholders. This study is intended to identify the qualities and characteristics of an exemplary secondary experience through the lived experiences of the stakeholders; students, STEM-related teachers, and CTE/STEM Administrators.
A qualitative research design was used to examine characteristics and implications for students of four STEM-related programs throughout Virginia. Conclusions from the study include fundamental principles for providing exemplary experiential STEM-related learning opportunities. These principles include: providing hands-on, real world learning opportunities for students, providing learning opportunities that will enhance student ownership in their learning, providing unique and comprehensive career exploration opportunities for students, providing a schedule for teachers that will give them time to plan, deliver, and manage exemplary experiential learning opportunities, providing continual teacher and administrator in-service training relative to planning and implementing exemplary experiential learning opportunities, investing appropriate funds for providing exemplary experiential learning opportunities. Establishing and maintaining active partnerships with business/industry and colleges/universities, and maintaining active advisory communities, providing appropriate staff to support the provision of exemplary experiential learning opportunities is needed. The need for adequate funding, improving perception of CTE and STEM programs, and small class sizes was also recommended.Ph. D.
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Falk, Nikki Alexandra. "UNDERSTANDING THE ENGINEERING PROBLEM: INVESTIGATION OF CULTURAL AND SOCIAL COGNITIVE VARIABLES ON INTENT TO PERSIST FOR FEMALE STUDENTS." OpenSIUC, 2015. https://opensiuc.lib.siu.edu/theses/1763.
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This study investigated the academic self-efficacy and persistence goals of 72 diverse female Engineering majors. Social Cognitive Career Theory (Lent, Brown, & Hackett, 1994) coupled with Practice Theory (Bourdieu, 1998) and Social Capital Theory (Lin, 1999) served as the theoretical framework. The relationships between social cognitive variables (engineering self-efficacy, outcome expectations, interests) as well as the influence of contextual and cultural variables (perceived campus climate, distance from privilege, and access to resources) on female students' intent to persist in Engineering were examined. Hierarchical linear regression revealed that only outcome expectations significantly contributed to the prediction of female students' intent to persist in Engineering. Exploratory analysis revealed that outcome expectations were most influential in predicting Engineering self-efficacy. Including privilege and perception of campus climate into the model significantly predicted self-efficacy above and beyond the original SCCT variables. This study supports the addition of cultural contextual variables in the SCCT choice model and warrants future research with minority female populations. Key words: women in STEM, social cognitive career theory, privilege, persistence, underrepresented students
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Maree, Marinda. "The role of self-efficacy in the careers of women in the field of Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)." Thesis, University of Pretoria, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/2263/62650.
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This study was undertaken to investigate the role of self-efficacy in the career trajectories of women who are currently employed in STEM fields and women who had studied in any of these fields, but either never worked in STEM, or decided to leave at some stage. The assumption was that women remain in STEM careers because of the motivational effect of STEM self-efficacy. In order to do this investigation, two studies were included in a parallel convergent mixed-methods design and two samples were studied. The first sample of 15 women, which included both women in STEM (n = 8) and women who had left STEM (n = 7), were interviewed and invited to talk about their STEM studies and careers. The interviews were conducted according to a semi-structured interview. The second sample, which consisted of 108 participants of whom 88 were actively involved in STEM and 20 had left the field, completed an online survey that contained a biographical section, three self-efficacy scales and an Exploratory Questionnaire (EQ) that covered aspects such as motivation to study and work in STEM and barriers experienced. The three self-efficacy scales used were the General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES), the New General Self-Efficacy Scale (NGSES) and the Occupational Self-Efficacy Scale (OSES). Bandura's Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) was chosen as the conceptual framework for the study and the development of Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) was described from its inception to its current integrated models of career development, as applied to women in STEM careers. The integrated models show that a combination of self-efficacy and outcome expectations is crucial as a predictor of career success in the STEM fields, which can also be influenced by additional variables, such as career decision making, career and study satisfaction, persistence, contextual support and barriers. The Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) and Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) provided the theoretical framework for themes for the qualitative thematic analysis. A top-down identification of themes was done by using the transcripts of interviews. Self-efficacy, outcome expectations and barriers were among the twelve themes that were identified. The survey data was described and statistically analysed. Descriptive statistics were provided for the selfefficacy scales and biographical information. The STEM and non-STEM groups were compared with a series of contingency tables on biographical information. A t-test was used to compare the self-efficacy scales by STEM status in order to find significant differences. The EQ was subjected to an exploratory principal component analysis (PCA) and 10 factors or components were identified. The factors ranged from motivation, barriers and perceptions about gender to STEM and education. Finally, the factors were compared with the qualitative themes to explore the role of self-efficacy in the careers of STEM and non-STEM women. The contribution made by this study is that it highlights the importance of the sources of selfefficacy in ensuring that women remain in their chosen fields. A frequently under-emphasised aspect is that of the emotional source of self-efficacy, which this study found to be the passion, focus, enjoyment and satisfaction that motivate women to remain in STEM. The relevant literature frequently observes that girls and women do not like STEM subjects and activities. However, the passion and commitment of women witnessed by the researcher while conducting this study counters this observation. Some women do enjoy science and it is by no means a proven fact that a lack of interest in STEM is gendered. Programmes focusing on motivating women to enter and remain in STEM ought to take this particular source of selfefficacy into account. The question is, of course, whether one can create interest, instil passion and make STEM attractive to women. However, this is a separate topic for further study. One of the clear findings of this study relates to the importance of inner-circle support and motivation to enter and remain in STEM. Programmes should find a way to encourage families who are already involved in STEM to include children, and especially girls. The very personal nature of encouragement, motivation and support received from parents and close family members function as a major source of self-efficacy. This calls for a creative approach to motivational programmes in order to make commitment to STEM inclusive. Another point that was emphasised by women in the qualitative sample, as well as in the quantitative results, was the major importance of personal interest in the field of science. In fact, this was even more important than the motivational support provided by close family. In essence, it relates to the passion expressed by women in STEM, but the importance of developing a strong interest in science cannot be overstated. Finally, several of the respondents working either in or outside STEM mentioned the pressures experienced in an attempt to balance family and work responsibilities. Some women manage this successfully, even though they are in STEM careers, while others deal with the problem by leaving STEM. However, one should point out that even in non-STEM careers the pressures and expectations of family life and children exist. Programmes dealing with women in STEM should take this problem very seriously and should assist women in effectively managing and dealing with the combined pressures of family and work.Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2017.
Psychology
PhD
Unrestricted
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Vanella, Angela. "The label of madness: the effects of career choice and gender on perceptions of mental illness." Honors in the Major Thesis, University of Central Florida, 2013. http://digital.library.ucf.edu/cdm/ref/collection/ETH/id/926.
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People with creative abilities have often been stereotyped as insane, neurotic, and prone to addiction (Kaufman, Bromley, & Cole, 2006; Corrigan, 2005). These labels have perpetuated the stigma for many generations (Ludwig, 1995). In addition, females have often been stereotyped as "bad at math," but are assumed to be more verbal and creative (Quinn & Spencer, 2001). The present study hypothesized that creative writers would be stereotyped as more mentally ill, neurotic, and addicted to substances compared to scientists. It was also predicted that gender would exacerbate the phenomenon such that females would be particularly vulnerable to this stereotype. Statistical analyses revealed some interesting gender by major interactions: female creative writers were perceived as the most mentally ill, but were closely followed by male science majors. Male creative writers were actually perceived to have a relatively low level of mental illness. Interestingly, male scientists were rated as having the highest levels of drug and alcohol abuse, whereas male creative writers were perceived to have relatively fewer symptoms of substance abuse. The reverse pattern was true for females. This research confirmed the stereotype of insanity among artists for females but also revealed a tendency towards pathology-based stereotyping of male scientists. Stereotypes negatively affect the targeted populations and perpetuate the stigmas against them. This research attempted to advance understanding as an initial step towards alleviating unwarranted stereotypes.B.S.
Bachelors
Sciences
Psychology
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Coyote, Ruthann Theresa. "The Relevance of Career Aspirations for Transfer Students Persisting in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Disciplines." Diss., The University of Arizona, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/301682.
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This qualitative study utilizes data acquired from interviews with 18 community college transfer students in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) majors and 7 university staff people who work in direct student services with this student population. This study explores the experiences of transfer students in STEM majors regarding what influenced their college persistence, particularly the relevance of STEM career aspirations. Students report their experiences of social and academic integration after transfer; the phenomenon of transfer shock is also explored and incorporated. Institutional policies such as articulation agreements are considered. Implications for student services practice and future research are presented.
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Nkhata, Bentry. "Career and Technical Education (CTE) Directors' Experiences with CTE's Contributions to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Education Implementation." Diss., Virginia Tech, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/24203.
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In spite of the large overlap in the goals of CTE and STEM education, there is little evidence of the role(s) CTE delivery systems, programs, curricula, or pedagogical strategies can play in advancing STEM education. Because of their responsibilities, especially for organizational and instructional leadership, school district CTE directors could illuminate our understanding of linkages between CTE and STEM education. The purpose of this study was to analyze the experiences of school district CTE directors to better understand these linkages. The researcher used a qualitative research design to gain understanding of the local CTE directors' experiences. Data were collected using face-to-face semi-structured interviews with 13 participants. The data were analyzed using a continuous process of coding, recoding, memo-writing and making comparisons across the transcripts. Among the results of the study were that definitions of STEM education were varied, but all had aspects of an integrated approach and using real world applications. The data revealed a number of contributions made by CTE to assist in STEM education implementation. They include context for learning, multiple pathways; platform for program delivery, and administrative leadership and framework. It was also found that strategies for increasing the visibility of CTE's contributions in the advancement of STEM education could include marketing CTE, demonstrating the value of CTE, enhancing curriculum and instruction, and rebranding CTE. Conclusions made in the study include, but not limited to, the fact that there are tremendous reciprocal benefits that CTE and STEM education can provide for one another, given there are strong, mutual, and intended linkage of the two; and that establishing a state-level STEM education coordinator position would result in providing much needed leadership at the local and state levels. Recommendations for practice that were made in the study include, but are not limited to, continuing to establish Virginia Governor's Academies throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia by aligning STEM education with CTE and continuing to support, at the highest level, intentional and mutual collaborative initiatives between STEM education and CTE. A recommendation for future research includes conducting a longitudinal study on the impact that Virginia Governor's Academies are having on student morale, growth, learning, and future endeavor.Ph. D.
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Goff, George Ahmad IV. "The Influence of College among Undergraduate Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Majors on Career-Decision-Making Self-Efficacy." University of Toledo / OhioLINK, 2016. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo1458463422.
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Risler, Laura L. "Female STEM Doctorate Holders in the Academic Workforce: An Event-History Analysis." Ohio University / OhioLINK, 2019. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1565782219452302.
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Bolton, Charles Leonard III. "Development of a Questionnaire to Identify Barriers and Facilitators to Academic Careers for Women in STEM." TopSCHOLAR®, 2016. http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/theses/1578.
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The purpose of this research was to develop a questionnaire to be used to identify barriers and facilitators to women faculty in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) academics. The phenomenon known as the leaky pipeline, a theoretical model describing why women are underrepresented in STEM disciplines, was examined. Women have long been underrepresented in STEM professions despite an increase in the number of women earning STEM degrees, suggesting women are faced with barriers that prevent them from achieving equal representation with men. The literature has identified several potential barriers, both historical and new, such as biological inequalities, family responsibilities, commitment differences, competitive differences, gender stereotypes and implicit biases, work environments, and job preference. Major facilitators included mentors and specific policy/program implementation. Barriers and facilitators to faculty members at Western Kentucky University will be identified objectively through the use of this questionnaire in a future study.
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Sun, Wei. "The relationship among middle school students' motivation perceptions of science class, science identification and career goals." Diss., Virginia Tech, 2018. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/83454.
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This dissertation examined the extent to which pre-high school students' motivation-related perceptions of their science class affected their science identification, which sequentially affected their future science-related career goals. The MUSIC® Model of Motivation (Jones, 2009, 2018) includes five components (i.e., eMpowerment, Usefulness, Success, Interest, and Caring) and is designed to help teachers design instruction to promote students' motivation. Domain identification (Osborne and Jones, 2011) is a concept closely related to students' motivation and academic outcomes. In this study, data was collected from 311 pre-high school students and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) analysis was conducted to test the structure pattern among the MUSIC model components, science identification, and science-related career goals. Results indicate that with three of the MUSIC model components (i.e., usefulness, success, and interest) significantly related to students' science identification, students' science identification was highly correlated to their science career goals.
Moreover, this study demonstrated the structure patterns among the MUSIC model components and science identification varied by gender by conducting multi-group SEM analyses for a separate female sample (N = 161) and male sample (N = 150). Consistently, students' science identification was a strong predictor of their science career goals in both female and male groups.
These findings are important for STEM educators because they indicate that it may be possible for teachers to impact students' science identification and career goals by focusing on students' perceptions of the MUSIC model components in science class. Moreover, these results contribute to the study of the large gender gap in STEM careers. Teachers can focus on specific teaching strategies and help female students develop their science identification in ways that lead to their long-term science-related career goals.Ph. D.
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Reys-Nickel, Lynsey. "Predictors of Associate's Degree Completion in Engineering and Engineering Technologies." Scholar Commons, 2016. http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/etd/6574.
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The purpose of this ex post facto study was to describe completers and non-completers of associate’s degree programs in engineering and engineering technologies and determine whether and to what extent completion in these programs is a function of selected student-related variables and institutional variables. Data from the 2004/2009 Beginning Postsecondary Students Longitudinal Study (BPS: 04/09) of associate’s degree completers and non-completers in engineering and engineering technologies were accessed and analyzed through PowerStats, a web-based data analysis tool from National Center for Education Statistics (NCES).
Descriptive data indicated that, proportionally, engineering and engineering technologies completers were mostly White, married, middle income, employed part-time, enrolled full-time, did not hold a high school diploma or certificate, completed Trigonometry/Algebra II, had a father who’s highest education level was an associate’s degree, but did not know their mother’s highest level of education, completed remedial coursework, and started college with the goal of earning an associate’s degree. While more males enrolled in the programs, males and females demonstrated similar completion rates, proportionally- with females showing a slightly higher percentage of completion. Results from the logistic regression further indicated that the variables significant to completion in associate’s degree programs in engineering and engineering technologies were gender and enrollment size. Findings suggested that female students were more likely to earn the degree, and that the larger the institution, the more likely the student would become a completer. However, since a major limitation of the study was the small weighted sample size, the results of the study are inconclusive in terms of the extent to which the findings can be generalized to the population of students in associate’s degree programs in engineering and engineering technologies. This study fills a gap in the literature of what is known about engineering and engineering technician students. It also contributes to the body of research on an understudied STEM educational and professional pathway, the associate’s degree in engineering and engineering technologies.
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Black, Arianna Louise. "Evaluation of the AWARES Mentorship Program on Female Engineering Students’ Career Self-Efficacy." The Ohio State University, 2020. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1587054612430114.
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Olsen, Elena Brit. ""Alone I climb the craggy steep" : literary ambition and metaphysical identity in eighteenth-century women's poetry /." Thesis, Connect to this title online; UW restricted, 2004. http://hdl.handle.net/1773/9337.
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Nikischer, Andrea B. "Social class and the STEM career pipeline an ethnographic investigation of opportunity structures in a high-poverty versus affluent high school." Thesis, State University of New York at Buffalo, 2013. http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=3598726.
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This research investigates science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) high school opportunity structures, including student experiences with math and science course sequences and progress, college guidance and counseling, and STEM extracurricular activities (Weis and Eisenhart, 2009), specifically related to STEM fields and career and college choice, for top-performing math and science students. Differences in these structures and processes as they play out in two representative high schools that vary by social class and racial/ethnic makeup are examined. This comparative ethnography includes 36 school and classroom observations, 56 semi-structured individual interviews, and a review of relevant documents, all gathered during the focal students' junior year of high school.
Three data chapters are presented, discussing three distinct, yet interconnected themes. In the first, I examine the ways in which chronic attendance problems and classroom distractions negatively impact math and science instruction time and lead to an instruction (time) deficit. In the second, I compare the math and science course and extra-curricular offerings at each school, and discuss the significant differences between sites regarding available STEM exposure and experience, also known as "STEM educational dose" (Wai, et al., 2010). In the third, I investigate available guidance counseling services and STEM and college-linking at each site. Perceived failures in the counseling services available are discussed.
This dissertation is grounded in the literature on differences in academic achievement based on school setting, the nature/distribution of knowledge based on social class, and STEM opportunity structures. The concepts of "social capital" and "STEM capital" are engaged throughout.
Ultimately, I argue through this dissertation that segregation by race, and most importantly social class, both between and within districts, damages the STEM pipeline for high-performing math and science students located in high-poverty, low-performing schools. I further argue that both federal and state accountability-based school reform efforts are failing to improve outcomes for students with proficiency and interest in STEM learning and STEM fields, and in fact, these reforms are harming top performing students and high school STEM opportunity structures. Recommendations for changes in policy and practice, and for further research, are provided.