Preparing the Future Workforce: Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Policy in K12 Education in Wisconsin

Last December, the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education Coalition - a national organization of more than 600 groups representing knowledge workers, educators, scientists, engineers, and technicians wrote to President-elect Obama urging him to "not lose sight of the critical role that STEM education plays in enabling the United States to remain the economic and technological leader of the 21st century global marketplace." While that imperative appears to have resonated in Washington, has it and should it resonate in Madison? This report attempts to answer that question by examining the extent to which STEM skills are a necessity for tomorrow's Wisconsin workforce, whether our schools are preparing students to be STEM-savvy workers, and where STEM falls in the state's list of educational priorities

RISD Fact Book 2016

The Office of Institutional Research is pleased to present the 2016 Rhode Island School of Design Fact Book; a general source of information about the College. Published annually, the Fact Book presents institutional data gathered from across the College and is compiled to capture the 2015 fiscal and academic year, as well as the beginning of AY2015-16.https://digitalcommons.risd.edu/institutionalresearch_factbooks/1005/thumbnail.jp

Engagement and STEM Degree Completion: An Analysis of the Relationship Between Time-To-Completion and Engagement and Pre-College Variables

This quantitative analysis explored measures influencing time to STEM-degree-completion in a correlational, non-experimental analysis of archival data (N = 745). FGCS represent a significant portion of individuals pursuing a post-secondary degree in the United States however, FGCS are less likely to persist to graduation as compared to their continuing-generation peers. FGCS are entering colleges and universities declaring STEM majors yet, are changing their major and or leaving college without a four-year degree (Chen, 2013). FGCS, who identify as female, face additional barriers, whether perceived or actual, in the pursuit of earning a STEM degree. FGCS choose to pursue STEM majors, yet they are less likely to graduate with a STEM degree. A multiple linear regression was performed, and results indicated that time-to-completion was significantly related (R2 = .12, p \u3c .001) to ACT score, Pell-eligibility, PSEO credit, learning community participation, and on-campus employment. For students who identified as female, (N = 209) time-to-completion was also significantly related (R2 = .26, p \u3c .001) to ACT score, Pell-eligibility, PSEO credit, and on-campus employment. For students who identified as female, (N = 209) time-to-completion was not significantly related (R2 = .07, p = .18) to the type of STEM major

Arizona’s Rising STEM Occupational Demands and Declining Participation in the Scientific Workforce: An Examination of Attitudes among African Americans toward STEM College Majors and Careers

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2008), science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) occupations constitute a growing sector of Arizona’s economy. However, the number of African Americans earning degrees related to these occupations has not kept pace with this growth. Increasing the participation of African Americans in STEM education fields and subsequent related occupations in Arizona is vital to growing and maintaining the state’s economic stature. This objective is made even more compelling given that each year, from 2008– 2018, there are 3,671 projected job openings in STEM fields in Arizona. This study explores the extent to which the attitudes held by African Americans in Arizona toward STEM related majors and careers influence their likelihood of joining the state’s scientific workforce. Our analyses reveal the importance of career consideration, confidence in one’s ability to be successful in a STEM related field, and family support of the pursuit of STEM education and careers.Educatio

Improving the Pipeline for Tennessee\u27s Workforce, Academic Supply for Occupational Demand Report 2022

https://digitalcommons.memphis.edu/govpubs-tn-higher-education-commission-academic-programs-workforce-reports/1009/thumbnail.jp

Impact of Online Education on Student Success Outcomes and Institutional Effectiveness: Study of Florida State University System

Online education has been around for several decades, but only recently has there been a boom in it integration into the public higher education sector on a larger scale. It proved instrumental to student education continuity and progression toward graduation during the COVID-19 health crisis and campus closures. Technological advances produce higher quality online courses that keep students engaged and allow for greater flexibility and accessibility, evident by its dramatic enrollment increase that outpaced the total enrollment at postsecondary institutions. Nine public universities in the State University System of Florida are analyzed to determine if greater enrollment in undergraduate online courses improves students\u27 success outcomes and institutional effectiveness. A standard measure of these outcomes is graduation, retention, and time-to-degree rates. They are frequently used by policymakers, academic leaders, and students to evaluate institutional performance and effectiveness at meeting students\u27 academic needs. Florida also ties its higher education funding model to these outcome measures to allocate funds integral to the institutional operation. A one-way ANOVA and panel data analysis is performed to evaluate the relationship between student enrollment in online courses and its impact on graduation, retention, and time to degree rates. The results show evidence that larger enrollment in at least some online courses positively affects graduation and retention while reducing the time to degree. These findings support that online education has more to offer than flexibility and accessibility and can improve student success outcomes and institutional effectiveness

January 15, 2016 Meeting Minutes

Minutes of the January 15, 2016 Board of Trustees meeting

The Influence of Social Capital on College Persistence and Completion for African American Males

ABSTRACT Alarming national statistics reveal the scope and trajectory of inequality that exists for African American men completing bachelor’s degrees. Public institutions confer bachelor’s degrees to Black males at a rate of just under 35% within the six-year benchmark, the lowest completion rate among all racial groups and for male and female students. Of interest to this work is whether social capital – in the form of informal faculty mentoring and peer network support – has a significant impact on college persistence for African American men who successfully attain bachelor’s degrees. The study investigates the influence of social class, pre-college attributes, such as educational attainment aspirations, and propensity to seek social support, as contributors to college completion. The theoretical framework informing this study draws from social capital theory, Tinto’s retention theory, Harper’s anti-deficit achievement framework, intersectionality theory, and the academic resilience perspective. This study takes a mixed-methods approach using nationally representative data from the 2004/09 Beginning Postsecondary Students Longitudinal Study (BPS:04/09). It also uses qualitative data from interviews with African American men who attempted bachelor’s degrees at colleges and universities in the state of Georgia – 20 who successfully completed the degree programs they started, and 5 who did not finish the programs they started (although 1 of these 5 went on to complete his degree at a different, out-of-state university). Findings contribute to the limited sociology of education literature on African American male students’ college experiences, and inform higher education administrators’ efforts to implement or improve policies that promote increasing Black men’s retention and completion rates. Further, what is learned from this research will help administrators to address strengthening the graduate school pipeline for Black men. These objectives are important for bridging postsecondary education attainment disparities

RISD Fact Book 2015

The Office of Institutional Research is pleased to present the RISD Fact Book 2015. During academic year (AY) 2012-13, RISD began working on a new Campus Master Plan. This work continues into 2014-15, including meetings and discussions to get important input from the RISD community. The 2015 Fact Book is a summary of institutional data gathered from many areas of the College, compiled to capture the 2014 fiscal and academic year, as well as the beginning of AY 2014-15.https://digitalcommons.risd.edu/institutionalresearch_factbooks/1004/thumbnail.jp