The Double-Edged Sword of Role Models: A Systematic Narrative Review of the Unintended Effects of Role Model Interventions on Support for the Status Quo

C OMPARATIVELY little has been reported concerning the reasons for the scarcity of Black female scientists, mathematicians and engineers (Clewell & Anderson 1991). White male domination of these fields may be one critical reason for the dearth of Black female career scientists. Historically, women, regardless of race or qualifications, have been unwelcomed and actively discouraged from pursuing careers in these disciplines (Rossiter 1982). For Blacks, many of the obstacles to their pursuit of careers in science, mathematics and engineering (the quantitative disciplines) are rooted in the history of Blacks in America. During slavery (1641-1863), it was illegal to educate Blacks in the United States (Franklin 1976). People of African descent were considered to be innately inferior and uneducable. After the Civil War, during the short period of the Reconstruction governments, Black children were able to receive formal education. When the Reconstruction governments were overthrown, the schools were segregated by race, and those assigned to Blacks were not only separate, but decidedly unequal. The stigma of inequality remained. Since the end of slavery, Blacks have had to overcome both the stigma and the self-image of inferior intelligence and capability. This stigma, still perpetuated in many subtle (and not so subtle) ways, does little to inspire young Black children to pursue the quantitative disciplines. Rather, they are steered to traditional areas of study, those considered open to Blacks. Science has never been and still is not one of these fields. As a result, there are comparatively few professional Black scientists. For example, in 1993, African-Americans received only 6.3% of the bachelor's degrees, 3.1% of the masters degrees, and only 1.9% of the doctoral degrees awarded in the quantitative sciences (National Science Foundation 1995). Therefore, for the majority of Black children, Black scientists as role models are practically nonexistent. Now, however, as school curricula are revised, the contributions of Black scientists are beginning to be recognized (Hacker 1992).

Underserved minority groups are disproportionately absent from the pursuit of careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. One such underserved population, Native Americans, are particularly underrepresented in STEM fields. Although recent advocacy and outreach designed toward increasing minority involvement in health care-related occupations have been mostly successful, little is known about the efficacy of outreach programs in increasing minority enthusiasm toward careers in traditional scientific professions. Furthermore, very little is known about outreach among Native American schools toward increasing involvement in STEM. We collaborated with tribal middle and high schools in South Dakota and Nebraska through a National Institutes of Health Science Education Partnership Award to hold a day-long physiology, activity-based event to increase both understanding of physiology and enthusiasm to scientific careers. We recruited volunteer biomedical scientists and trainees from the University of Nebraska Medical Center, Nebraska Wesleyan University, and University of South Dakota. To evaluate the effectiveness of the day of activities, 224 of the ~275-300 participating students completed both a pre- and postevent evaluation assessment. We observed increases in both students self-perceived knowledge of physiology and enthusiasm toward scientific career opportunities after the day of outreach activities. We conclude that activity-based learning opportunities in underserved populations are effective in increasing both knowledge of science and interest in scientific careers.

Previous research separately acknowledges two emerging trends in adolescence but neglects to integrate them. These are that many changes have occurred in the school to work transitional processes, and that there is substantial need for adolescents, especially young women, to pursue science career pathways. In this study, we link these trends and develop predictive, interactive models of science pursuit for 836 Canadian secondary school graduates living through a period of massive change in school to work transitional processes. Separate logit analyses were conducted for males and females. Results suggest that young women are not under-represented in the pursuit of science careers in high school. Young women aspire more frequently to medical and health sciences, and young men to natural sciences, engineering and mathematics. For young women, father's occupation in science, curriculum track and level of occupational expectation were significant in the model, correctly predicting 72% of membership in science. For males, socioeconomic status, family support, level of occupational expectation, regional unemployment levels and items measuring work environment were significant in the model that predicted 81% of membership in science. The findings suggest the salience of gender-differentiated school to work transition models in determining pursuit of health and science career pathways.

Some scientists and public figures have hypothesized that women and men differ in their pursuit of careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) owing to biological differences in mathematics aptitude. However, little evidence supports such claims. Some studies of children and adults show gender differences in mathematics performance but in those studies it is impossible to disentangle intrinsic, biological differences from sociocultural influences. To investigate the early biology of mathematics and gender, we tested for gender differences in the neural processes of mathematics in young children. We measured 3–10-year-old children’s neural development with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during naturalistic viewing of mathematics education videos. We implemented both frequentist and Bayesian analyses that quantify gender similarities and differences in neural processes. Across all analyses girls and boys showed significant gender similarities in neural functioning, indicating that boys and girls engage the same neural system during mathematics development.

Some scientists and public figures have hypothesized that women and men differ in their pursuit of careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) owing to biological differences in mathematics aptitude. However, little evidence supports such claims. Some studies of children and adults show gender differences in mathematics performance but in those studies it is impossible to disentangle intrinsic, biological differences from sociocultural influences. To investigate the early biology of mathematics and gender, we tested for gender differences in the neural processes of mathematics in young children. We measured 3–10-year-old children’s neural development with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during naturalistic viewing of mathematics education videos. We implemented both frequentist and Bayesian analyses that quantify gender similarities and differences in neural processes. Across all analyses girls and boys showed significant gender similarities in neural functioning, indicating that boys and girls engage the same neural system during mathematics development.

Engaging students in research is a high-impact practice shown to increase graduation outcomes and sustain their pursuit of careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). However, research opportunities for students early in their undergraduate studies are not widely available at most colleges or for most students. To overcome this barrier, we developed three online resources designed to introduce students to what research is and direct them on how to get started with the search for research opportunities. These resources consist of (a) two introductory videos to inspire students to learn more about research, (b) online modules on the topics of getting started with research, transferable research skills, and publications and presentations, and (c) a searchable faculty research mentor directory. We found these online resources to be an effective ways to reach and engage a large number of undergraduate students who are accustomed to obtaining information on the web. These online resources can also serve as useful supplemental resources for advising staff and faculty who wish to introduce students to research.

The decreasing number of young students pursuing science careers has become a rising concern worldwide, particularly in China. Educational programs with empirical evidence of promoting young students’ pursuit of science careers are still lacking. Here, drawing on the existing literature, we designed and implemented a 3-day quasi-apprenticeship program in a research botanical garden of China. We used a pre-post test design, with hypotheses based on the Theory of Planned Behavior and provided both quantitative and qualitative data to evaluate the efficacy of the program on 319 seventh- and eighth-grade Chinese students from 15 public schools. The quantitative findings by using generalized estimating equations indicated that students’ attitudes, subjective norms, science self-efficacy, and career intention were significantly enhanced after the program; the structural equation modeling result showed that the enhancement of career intention could be explained by increases in subjective norms and science self-efficacy. The qualitative findings also supported the notion that a high proportion of students mentioned gains in increased science self-efficacy from attending the program. We suggest a short-term program, engaging students in group work of authentic science practices with mentors in an authentic context, might be a cost-effective strategy for supporting Chinese young students’ pursuit of science careers. This study also provides valuable information, through both pedagogical and theoretical structure elements, for educators and researchers who design, deliver, and evaluate educational programs to promote secondary school students’ pursuit of science careers.

Advances in online geospatial technologies (GST) have expanded access to K‐12 classrooms which has implications for the support teachers require to effectively integrate GSTs to promote learning. Previous studies have shown the impact of GST‐integrated lessons on student engagement, spatial thinking skills, and/or content knowledge; however, most of these studies have been small in scope and scale and frequently focus on the affordances of the technology, without addressing the context of the implementation and student characteristics for whom GST is most impactful. We attempt to address some of these gaps. Our program scaled an effective GST‐focused professional learning and development program to a national audience through a facilitator development model. This paper explores the student characteristics and lesson factors that resulted in student interest in science and technology and careers in those fields. After teaching a Geospatial Inquiry lesson created during a teacher workshop, teachers (n = 82) submitted the lessons and surveys on the implementation of Geospatial Inquiry lessons. The implementation surveys and lessons were scored for alignment to the principles of high‐quality Geospatial Inquiry. Students (n = 1924) completed a post‐lesson retrospective survey and indicated the extent to which their perceptions and attitudes toward science and technology changed because of the lesson. Results indicate that teacher GST performance is associated with increases in student outcomes. Students with previous exposure to science activities were more likely to have increased interest and excitement in science and careers in science but decreased interest in technology careers. Students who had previous exposure to technology activities had increased interest and excitement in technology and careers in technology but decreased interest in science careers. Geospatial Inquiry lessons also had a significant impact on students who are traditionally underrepresented in STEM fields. After participating in the lessons, students who identify as female reported higher engagement and interest in science and higher interest in science careers. Students who identified as Black or Hispanic also reported higher interest and excitement in science and technology, and students who identified as Black reported marginally higher interest in science careers.

Novel Educational Approaches to Enhance Learning and Interest in Nephrology

Global trends indicate a continuous year-on-year decrease in student enthusiasm toward careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), as evidenced by a significant reduction in the number of students pursuing further education in STEM disciplines. This study will examine the career interests of madrasah students in STEM among students aged 13-15 years. The design of this study used a descriptive survey method. The survey data was taken from an online survey using a Google Form link distributed through social networks. The sample consisted of 150 students from several madrasah in Bandung Regency, Indonesia. The survey instrument used was the Indonesian translation of the Science, Technology, Engi-neering and Mathematics Career Interest Survey (STEM-CIS). The mean score of the sample responses was utilized to represent the overall level of student interest in STEM-related careers. Each questionnaire item was analyzed through the lens of Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) to identify the underlying factors contributing to both high and low levels of interest in STEM professions. Based on the findings of this analysis, a number of strategic recommendations for the implementation of career counseling interventions were presented to school counselors as a reference in supporting the development of students' interest in careers in the STEM field.

<i>Background:</i> Fostering students’ interest in careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) is one of the main objectives of current education. However, stereotypical beliefs about STEM careers and their difficulty often exist among elementary and high school students, especially in Latin American countries where access to higher education can be complicated or seem impossible in some areas. This study aims to develop effective strategies to combat stigmas by integrating Colombian ancestral pacific traditional knowledge and biochemistry engineering and promoting STEM education in populations with limited access to higher education in Colombia. The goal is to help participants understand the broader application of science in their daily lives and communities.<br /> <i>Results: </i>By integrating pacific traditional knowledge with bioprocess experiments through our culturally relevant lab box, we have fostered greater interest in STEM careers among these diverse participants. This methodology effectively bridges the gap between traditional wisdom and modern science, creating a more engaging and relatable STEM learning experience.<br /> <i>Conclusions: </i>In conclusion, we have observed a noticeable shift in participants’ academic interests, and many have expressed a new enthusiasm for pursuing STEM-related careers. This project provides a highly viable and reproducible model that can be scaled to other cities or countries in Latin America, facilitating students’ initial engagement with STEM careers. Additionally, it offers scholarship opportunities for participants, enabling access to quality higher education and promoting gender inclusion in STEM fields.

The Greenpower program inspires the pursuit of careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics by challenging student teams to design, build, and race a single-seat electric car.

Community college students face difficulties in mathematics courses and may not understand the relevance of the topics they are learning to their intended career. When such connections are not made, mathematics courses can become barriers to pursuit of careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). In the present study, we assessed student interest in mathematics and various STEM career areas and students’ knowledge of ways mathematics was involved in STEM careers in order to better understand how these variables are related. We discovered that interest in mathematics predicted interest in many, but not all, categories of STEM and STEM-related careers. We also assessed how deeply the student was engaged with their current career pathway, and how this related to other variables. We found that students’ depth of interest in their chosen career path was only associated with mathematics interest for some STEM careers. Finally, students’ perceptions of how mathematics was used in their chosen career area predicted their interest in mathematics, and their interest in some STEM career areas.

Science fairs have been for many years a popular school activity in North America. They are a venue for the popularization of science and consequently an important encouragement for the pursuit of careers in science or engineering. However, little is known about students’ perceived motives for participating in local or national science fairs and about the way in which their involvement mediates their interest in science learning and scientific careers. The present study investigates the motivational factors associated with the high school students’ decision to participate in the 2008 Canada-Wide Science Fair, a thoroughly selected and highly motivated group. Our study examines 5 sources of motivation: (1) interest in science content, (2) sense of self-efficacy, (3) assurance of achievement through rewards or gratifications, (4) the social aspect of participating and (5) working strategies to gain scientific knowledge and methods. The understanding of the anticipated benefits participants seek through their involvement in science fairs may have the potential to help science teachers adapt instruction to appeal to a broader range of students in schools, thus nourishing the emergence of more interest in science.

Educational and Career Development Outcomes Among Undergraduate Summer Research Interns: A Pipeline for Pathology, Laboratory Medicine, and Biomedical Science