From Gatekeeping to Engagement: A Multicontextual, Mixed Method Study of Student Academic Engagement in Introductory STEM Courses.

The lack of academic engagement in introductory science courses is considered by some to be a primary reason why students switch out of science majors. This study employed a sequential, explanatory mixed methods approach to provide a richer understanding of the relationship between student engagement and introductory science instruction. Quantitative survey data were drawn from 2,873 students within 73 introductory science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) courses across 15 colleges and universities, and qualitative data were collected from 41 student focus groups at eight of these institutions. The findings indicate that students tended to be more engaged in courses where the instructor consistently signaled an openness to student questions and recognizes her/his role in helping students succeed. Likewise, students who reported feeling comfortable asking questions in class, seeking out tutoring, attending supplemental instruction sessions, and collaborating with other students in the course were also more likely to be engaged. Instructional implications for improving students' levels of academic engagement are discussed

Cultural Responsiveness, Racial Identity and Academic Success: A Review of Literature

Commissioned by the Heinz Endowments, this paper reviews the literature on "culturally responsive pedagogy" and the arts. Academic success among African Americans is correlated with education that incorporates racial identity and socialization and a focus on resiliency and culturally relevant concepts. The arts are an ideal venue for such educational programs

Monitoring What Matters About Context and Instruction in Science Education: A NAEP Data Analysis Report

This report explores background variables in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) to examine key context and instructional factors behind science learning for eighth grade students. Science education is examined from five perspectives: student engagement in science, science teachers' credentials and professional development, availability and use of science resources, approaches to science instruction, and methods and uses of science assessment

Predictors of Adolescents’ Interest in Stem Majors and Careers

Advanced Research Winner 2019: The United States currently faces a shortage of qualified workers in fields related to science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). The first critical step in preventing the labor shortage in STEM is understanding the factors that guide adolescents toward STEM pursuits. Drawing on Eccles’ expectancy-value theory (EVT), the current study aims to identify factors that are relevant to adolescents’ interest in STEM majors and careers. Data were collected from 629 adolescents (Mage = 16.09). Participants attended a high school in northern California and predominantly identified as Asian American (82% of the sample). Preliminary analyses revealed that adolescent boys had higher STEM self-expectancies than did adolescent girls, whereas there was no gender difference in STEM values. Consistent with expectations, multiple regression demonstrated that STEM self-expectancies and values accounted for a significant amount of variance in participants’ interest in STEM majors and careers. STEM value was an especially strong predictor; adolescents tended to be most interested in STEM pursuits when they were also high in STEM value. Moderation analyses showed that the association between STEM value and interest in STEM majors and careers was stronger for girls than for boys. As a whole, this study’s findings suggest that valuing and enjoying STEM pursuits during high school could be an important antecedent of pursuing a STEM major and a STEM career later in life

Girls in the physics classroom: a review of the research on the participation of girls in physics

A review of research spanning the past 15 years into the participation of girls in physics at secondary school level. The review was commissioned by the Institute of Physics in order to inform policy setting agendas for the Institute and to reveal important messages about participation in physics which the Institute could use to develop plans for action

Technology Effectiveness in Teaching Statistics: Best-Evidence Meta-Analysis

Evidence about technology effectiveness in supporting post-secondary students’ learning of introductory statistics concepts is inconclusive. Lacking in current investigations are considerations of the synergies between technology, content, and pedagogy that influence learning outcomes in statistics education. The current study used meta-analytic procedures to address the gap between theory and practice related to the best evidence of effective instructional practices in technology-enhanced introductory statistics classrooms. A conceptual framework based on the ADDIE model, TPACK, and constructivism guided the investigation of substantive study characteristics related to instructional design. Findings were based on 32 studies published between 1998-2018 that used quasi-experimental or experimental research designs and measured statistics achievement. Hedges’ g effect sizes were computed for each study used in the meta-analysis. Random-effects analysis revealed a small average effect of 0.23 favoring technology use over no technology control conditions. Mixed-effects results revealed instructional design characteristics that were significant moderators, favoring technology use. Concerning the learning context, significant effects were found among studies with undergraduate student samples (0.45), discipline-specific courses (0.31), and studies with learning goals associated with statistical literacy, thinking, or reasoning (0.42) and learning statistical skills/concepts (0.28). Regarding content, design, and duration, significant effects were found among studies covering descriptive or null hypothesis testing (0.74), that used technology designed by the instructor (0.30) and for a semester or longer (0.25). Significant effects for instruction implementation included the use of various learning tasks (0.33), students\u27 cooperative, collaborative, or collective engagement (0.38), use of scaffolding (0.36), and the use of technology with multiple functions for covering concepts (0.42). Concerning assessment, significant effects were found for studies using multiple formative assessment measures (0.34) and those using non-authentic assessments (0.28). Non-significant results were found for report and methodological characteristics, except for studies whose description of the instructional design process was somewhat replicable (0.36). Sensitivity analyses did not indicate publication bias. However, interpretation of meta-analysis findings should be made with considerations that findings are based mostly on studies with quality ratings of unclear risk of bias (63%). Findings are discussed in light of the literature. Implications and recommendations for future research are provided

Self-regulated learning in higher education : identifying key component processes

The concept of self-regulated learning is becoming increasingly relevant in the study of learning and academic achievement, especially in higher education, where quite distinctive demands are placed on students. Though several key theoretical perspectives have been advanced for self-regulated learning, there is consensus regarding the central role played by student perceptions of themselves as learners. There are two general aims of this positional article. The first is to emphasise self-regulated learning as a relevant and valuable concept in higher education. The second is to promote the study of those constituent elements considered most likely to develop our understanding beyond a mere description of those processes thought to be involved in self-regulated learning. A case is presented for learning style, academic control beliefs and student self-evaluation as key constructs which contribute to an increased understanding of student self-regulated learning and which facilitate the application of self-regulated learning in pedagogy by enhancing its tangibility and utility

Transformative Pedagogy and Science Identity in Undergraduate Anatomy and Physiology

Anatomy and Physiology (A&P) courses are undergraduate biology prerequisite courses that cover many topics about human biology, including anatomy, histology, organ systems, and homeostasis. The purpose of the course is to equip students aiming to enter nursing and allied health education programs with an understanding of basic biological principles relevant to human biology and pharmacology. However, these courses have a high incidence of failure, and many students need to retake the course to progress in their competitive academic programs. Students tend to rely on memorization techniques to learn the course content, and given the nature of A&P as a discipline, this can be insufficient to achieve desired learning (i.e., mastery over the course content) and academic (i.e., course grades) outcomes in these courses. Thus, it is vital to identify evidence-based teaching practices and student factors that contribute to academic outcomes in this course. The three projects that compose the scholastic contribution of this dissertation collectively synthesize evidence-based teaching practices in A&P contexts, test how student affect factors (e.g., self-efficacy, science identity, and situational interest) impact student outcomes, and explore the experiences of students taking the class. The first project (Chapter II) is a systematic review that summarizes pedagogical interventions from 111 research articles about how A&P instruction impacts students’ learning outcomes and satisfaction. The second project (Chapter III) uses mixed methods and found that in a sample of 83 introductory A&P iv students, scores on a science identity metric predicted final grade in the course. The qualitative component of Chapter III also identifies emerging allied health identities alongside science identity as driving motivators for students repeating the course. The third project (Chapter IV) examines student experiences with A&P through the lens of transformative experience theory. This exploratory project examines student writing for evidence of students making connections between course content and their everyday lives using a mixed methods approach. Qualitative content analysis and epistemic network analysis reveal that students make salient connections between their interest in the course content, expansion of perception of the course content as relevant to their everyday lives, learning about A&P, and viewing the course content as relevant to their personal lives. In sum, these projects benefit A&P instructors and biology education researchers working to support student outcomes in A&P

The Effect of Technology Infusion on At-Risk High School Students’ Motivation to Learn

By examining at-risk high school students’ perceptions of their motivation when using instructional technologies, this study hopes to offer a better understanding of the link between students’ perceptions of their motivation to learn and the road blocks that impede motivation. Additionally, this study seeks to bring to light the frequently overlooked perspective of students who are often marginalized, unsuccessful, and in danger of failure. Student interviews and survey data provide insight about the degree to which at-risk high school students feel that instructional technologies help contribute to or hinder their academic success. The survey tool, classroom observations, and student interviews specifically reveal how feelings of autonomy, extrinsic and intrinsic goal orientation, and task value are related to increased motivation among at-risk students and how certain management practices and road blocks can impede success. Additionally, the data collected were used to better understand what role the perceived value of digital literacy as a 21st Century job skill plays in motivating at-risk high school students when using technology in the classroom. Implications for teachers, administrators, and policy makers, as well as suggestions for further research are also presented