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

Factors that Influence Persistence of Biology Majors at a Hispanic-Serving Institution

To promote diversity within the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) workforce, we must identify factors that influence or hinder historically underrepresented minority (URM) students’ persistence to degrees in STEM. We documented potential factors that influence students’ persistence in an undergraduate biology program and created a 14-item, Likert-scale instrument. We recruited 137 undergraduate biology majors at a Hispanic-serving institution in Texas to report which factors they found influential in their decision to remain enrolled in their degree programs. We used a modified social cognitive career theory model of career choice to guide interpretation of the reported influences and identify patterns in responses. We documented three highly influential factors for all students: personal motivation, potential learning experiences, and job opportunities with the job opportunities showing a significant difference (P=0.036) between White and URM student groups. We also found a trend (P=0.056) indicating White students were more influenced by role models and mentors than URM students. Our findings suggest that personal motivation and potential job opportunities are the most influential factors driving students to seek educational opportunities that could lead to STEM careers. However, access to a diverse pool of role models also has the potential to provide positive impacts on student persistence in STEM

A Preliminary Study Investigating the Factors Influencing STEM Major Selection by African American Females

The purpose of this study was to investigate the significant factors influencing STEM major selection by African American females. A quantitative research design with a qualitative component was employed. Ex post facto survey research was conducted utilizing an online questionnaire to collect data from participants. African American undergraduate females that had declared a major in STEM comprised the target population for the study. As a basis for comparison, a second data collection ensued. All non-African American undergraduate females majoring in STEM also received the survey instrument to determine if there was a significant difference between factors that influence STEM major selection between the two groups. The Social Cognitive Career Choice Model comprised the conceptual framework for this study. Frequencies and percentages illustrated the demographic characteristics of the sample, as well as the average influence levels of each of the items without regard for level of significance. The researcher conducted an independent samples t-test to compare the mean scores for undergraduate African American females majoring in STEM and non-African American females majoring in STEM on each influential factor on the survey instrument. The researcher coded responses to open-ended questions to generate themes and descriptions. The data showed that African American female respondents were very influenced by the following items: specific interest in the subject, type of work, availability of career opportunities after graduation, parent/guardian, precollege coursework in science, and introductory college courses. In addition, the majority of respondents were very influenced by each of the confidence factors. African American females were overwhelmingly not influenced by aptitude tests. African American females were more influenced than their non-African American female counterparts for the following factors: reputation of the university, college or department, high level of compensation in fields, religious leaders, precollege coursework in mathematics, confidence in mathematics ability, confidence in ability to be successful in mathematics in college, confidence in science ability, and confidence in ability to be successful in science in college. Non-African American females were more influenced than African American females by the precollege coursework in technology and the precollege STEM experience factors. Four themes emerged regarding the items that most influenced success in STEM for African American females: high level of compensation in the field, parents/legal guardians and family members, specific interest in the subject, and confidence in science and math ability. One theme emerged regarding the items that least influenced success in STEM majors for African American females: personal interactions with individuals excluding family members

Exploring Community Colleges in the Stem Education Landscape : development of stem college major choice model

Community colleges are becoming increasingly relevant as an entrance point into postsecondary education for potential science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) majors. These institutions are also an important education pathway for women and racial/ethnic minorities who are currently underrepresented in the STEM workforce. The purpose of this study is to understand how student demographics, high school, and college experiences influence the entrance of community college students to the STEM college majors. Data from the Education Longitudinal Study of 2002 (ELS: 2002) were used for the study. Students included in the study began their postsecondary education at community colleges. Descriptive and binary logistic regression analyses were performed to examine the impact of student demographics, high school, and college experience on the choice of STEM college major. The findings of this study suggest gender, race/ethnicity, academic preparation, and interest in STEM fields upon entering college influence the choice of STEM major by community college students

Perceptions of a Chilly Climate: Differences in Traditional and Non-traditional Majors for Women

The purpose of the present study was to examine how perceptions of a chilly climate differ between students in traditionally female-dominated majors versus traditionally male-dominated majors, and how these perceptions relate to students\u27 intentions to persist or pursue higher education in their chosen field. Participants were 403 students attending a community college in the southern United States, including students majoring in information technology (IT), engineering, education, and nursing. Participants completed the 28-item Perceived Chilly Climate Scale (PCCS) and other informational items. The primary research question asked: To what extent can scores on the five subscales of the PCCS be explained by the predictor variable set of gender, ethnicity, age, college major, and intent to leave the field? Canonical correlation analysis yielded an initial canonical root of .40 (Rc^2 = .16, p \u3c .001), indicating that the predictor variables accounted for a moderate portion of the variance in PCCS subscale scores. Gender (rs = .89) accounted for the highest proportion of explained variance, followed by major (rs = .75). Findings indicated that women found the climate chillier than men, non-white students found the climate chillier than white students, younger students perceived the climate chillier than older students, and students in traditionally female-dominated majors perceived the climate chillier than students in traditionally male-dominated majors. Intent to leave the field was not a significant predictor of perceptions of chilly climate

Spartan Daily, February 21, 2003

Volume 120, Issue 21https://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/spartandaily/9817/thumbnail.jp

Lift Ev’ry Voice: Using Q Methodology to Understand the Shared Perspectives of African American Undergraduate Students Regarding Strategies that Predominantly White Institutions Can Use to Support their Persistence in STEM

Abstract In this study the researcher used Q methodology to understand the shared perspectives of African American undergraduate students attending predominantly White institutions regarding strategies and supports that would help them persist in their STEM majors. Q methodology involved two phases. In phase 1, the researcher recruited 13 participants (n =10, female; n = 3, male) to respond to an open-ended questionnaire using the following directions: “List and briefly describe up to 8 strategies that predominantly White institutions can use to support African American undergraduate students’ persistence in STEM.” There were 57 opinion statements generated from this questionnaire along with 50 statements from the professional literature and 6 statements from social media sources online. The researcher then reduced the opinion statements to a representative Q sample that consisted of 43 statements by eliminating repeating statements, combining similar statements, and discarding statements that were impertinent to the initial prompt. In phase 2, the researcher recruited a P set of 30 participants (n = 20, female; n = 10, male) to perform a Q sort of the opinion statements comprising the Q sample. Five factors were identified as representing the most widespread views of the majority of the participants. The collective perspectives of African American students in Factor 1 revealed a need to be supported by the institution in order to succeed academically, Factor 2 revealed a need for diversity and inclusion for everyone, Factor 3 revealed a need for social interactions with other African Americans, Factor 4 expressed a need for support with dealing with issues around science and math self-efficacy, and Factor 5 showed a need for support from the institution with achievement of goals by removing barriers produced by stereotype threat. Results show that institutions should consider providing various layers of support for African American students in STEM including STEM advisors, STEM learning communities, African American social groups, and supportive faculty and staff

Pathways to fast tracking African American community college students to STEM careers

textThe United States is currently facing a shortage of qualified Science Technology Engineering & Mathematics workers. As a result, many STEM jobs are being filled by technically-skilled foreign workers. American institutions of higher education, including community colleges, must identify potential factors that contribute to the lack of interest in STEM majors, as well as the low rate of success of students who enter STEM majors but struggle to finish their degrees. Community colleges perform a larger share of STEM training than is generally understood. As highlighted in the National Science Foundation’s National Survey of Recent College Graduates, a surprisingly large proportion (44% overall) of those earning a degree in science and engineering (bachelor’s and master’s) reported that they had attended a community college. The purpose of this study was to ascertain the perceptions of African American community college students who are currently pursuing degrees in STEM majors and to examine the factors that influence their success. Qualitative research method of in-depth phenomenological interviewing was used for this study. This tool provided a strong method of scientific inquiry for understanding the context of the lives of successful African American students in STEM majors. Findings in this study have African American students identifying the meanings of the experiences of participating in a STEM workforce development program at Minneapolis Community and Technical College. They found the experience of Prioritizing to be the most crucial for them as they prepared for their STEM careers. Students consider Professionalism, Building a Network, Internships & Planning. Students also found advisors to be essential to their overall academic success. Furthermore, faculty members can make a difference in how students perceive their academic journey and how well they perform academically. These findings are also supported by Astin’s theory of student involvement, Ladson-Billings Cultural Relevant Pedagogy and Validation. Many community colleges are in urban areas and serve a very diverse population of students. This study can inform our faculty on best practices to prepare lecture materials, through providing cultural relevant pedagogy that addresses issues African American students are currently facing, which make their academic journey significant. When the academic coursework is applicable to real world situations students reported an easier transition to STEM workforce industries.Educational Administratio

The Determinants of Women and Racial Minority High School Students’ Willingness to Pursue an IT Major

Women and racial minorities are underrepresented in IT careers. One reason for this is that women and racial minorities choose to major in IT subjects in college at a lower rate than overrepresented groups in IT careers do. Thus, it is important to better understand how high school students make decisions about whether to major in IT subjects in college. We report on a racially diverse, nationwide sample of college-bound high school seniors and their intentions to major in IT subjects in college. Using expectancy-value theory, we add the construct of outside opportunities (i.e., how many options one has for a major) with cumulative high school GPA as a proxy. We find that higher GPAs actually tend to increase the intention to major in IT for several underrepresented groups but decrease the intention to major in IT for some overrepresented groups. Policy implications include including IT training in high schools