Students In STEM Disciplines Research Articles

First-Generation African Students in STEM Disciplines in South African Universities

ABSTRACT First-generation student (FGS) is a complex term, which has a wide diversity of individuals, this special group of students are the first in their families to attend universities and have unique struggles at universities. The research engaged in a qualitative way with FG African students and their experiences in pursuing their degrees in STEM disciplines. Underpinned by the theory of intersectionality, ten self-identified first-generation African students participated in semi-structured interviews. In which,five major themes were identified—motivation, resilience, toxicity, racism, and politics, and Black Tax. Furthermore, this study recommended structural programming, university policies, and increased faculty and staff diversity as strategies that will benefit all students and provide support for FG African student in STEM disciplines in South Africa.

Investigating the individual interests of undergraduate students in STEM disciplines

Despite massive investments in the education sector to empower youth in Qatar, a vital concern remains to retain students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines at the undergraduate level. Even though the country is committed to fostering a knowledge-based society, the low interest of undergraduates in STEM disciplines remains a vital challenge. To investigate this, the current study uses a survey methodology to investigate the perspectives of 172 undergraduate students to understand quantitatively the factors that influence their individual interests in STEM disciplines. Non-parametric significance tests and binary logistic regressions were employed to quantitatively measure the direct factors and predictors that affect students’ individual interests. Findings indicated that aspects like students’ reason/motivation to join STEM, their interaction with faculty, the habit of skipping classes, the difficulty faced in the curriculum, and their parents’ highest educational qualification have an association with individual interests. Also, it was found that demographics such as age group, ethnicity, undergraduate discipline, undergraduate year, parent’s employment status, and mother’s highest educational qualification do not contribute to significant differences in students’ individual interests. These conclusions provide important implications for educationists and policymakers to devise constructive reforms to enhance undergraduate students’ individual interests, thereby improving their persistence in STEM.

From Theory To Practice: A Comprehensive Examination Of Implementing Project-Based Learning In STEM Curricula

This study undertook a comprehensive examination of Project-Based Learning (PBL) implementation in STEM curricula, bridging the gap from theory to practice. Through a rigorous exploration, the research aimed to investigate the practical implications of incorporating PBL into STEM education. The study's objectives were to assess the impact of PBL on academic performance, critical thinking skills, and overall Engagement among students in STEM disciplines. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach, including surveys, interviews, and observational analysis, data was collected and analyzed to provide a nuanced understanding of the experiences and outcomes associated with PBL. The findings revealed a significant improvement in academic performance, with students exposed to PBL exhibiting heightened Engagement and a notable surge in interest in STEM subjects. Critical thinking skills experienced substantial enhancement, highlighting the practical implications of PBL in developing essential cognitive abilities. The study contributed to the existing literature by validating the positive outcomes of PBL. It offered valuable insights for educators and curriculum developers seeking to implement effective, experiential learning strategies in STEM education. The research, conducted in the past tense, presents a comprehensive exploration of the transition from theoretical concepts to the practical application of PBL in STEM curricula.

The Effect of Learners’ Sex and STEM/non-STEM Majors on Remote Learning: A National Study of Undergraduates in Qatar

The sudden and prolonged disruption to learning caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the vulnerabilities of traditional higher education and revealed the need for a rapid transformation. Lessons from the pandemic have made it clear that the future of higher education will rely heavily on e-learning and the agility of institutions to seamlessly transition between face-to-face, blended/hybrid, and fully online learning. As institutions begin their post-pandemic planning, the online experiences of different groups of learners during the pandemic offer valuable insight into what is working and what isn’t. Consequently, this study explored the effect of learners’ sex and discipline (STEM/non-STEM) on students’ perceptions of (1) course design, (2) assessment, (3) student behavior, (4) instructor behavior, and (5) tools and technologies during forced online learning. Additionally, the researchers investigated the effect of sex and discipline on students’ overall satisfaction with remote learning and explored the influence of students’ perceptions on satisfaction. Study participants were 1,825 undergraduates at eight universities in Qatar. Using the QLT evaluation rubric, the researchers adapted a 27-item survey to measure students’ perceptions of key aspects of quality online teaching and learning and to gauge overall satisfaction. Using a SEM approach, study results showed that (1) male students had more positive perceptions of instructor behavior, assessment, and tools and technologies compared to females, (2) males were more satisfied overall with their remote learning experiences, (3) students in STEM disciplines had significantly more negative perceptions of all the aspects of online learning explored in the study, (4) students in STEM disciplines were significantly less satisfied overall with remote learning, and (5) students’ perceptions of tools and technologies, assessment, and course design most influenced their overall satisfaction. These findings have important implications for faculty development and post-pandemic planning in higher education in general and the Gulf in particular.

Profiles of Good Teaching Practices in STEM Disciplines: An Analysis of Mixed Methods of Academic and Assessment Variables of Teaching in the First Cycle of Civil Engineering

A relevant area to improve the quality of undergraduate education are the STEM disciplines: science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. These disciplines have seen a drop in student interest and participation internationally. This study aimed to determine profiles of good teaching practices based on responses from a teaching evaluation survey and academic context variables of students in STEM disciplines using a mixed-methods design. The study was conducted at a state university in southern Chile, framed in the first cycle of STEM disciplines, the Faculty of Engineering and Sciences using data from 2016 to 2017. The quantitative results revealed four groups analyzed by cluster, together with the most frequent responses according to the highest and lowest scores. The qualitative results yielded five groups of codes of greatest frequency in the twelve analysis units, which were the students’ comments divided into mathematics, physical sciences, and chemistry courses. The findings suggest a need to continue developing pedagogical knowledge in STEM teachers and highlight student involvement. Actions for improvement could focus on orienting teaching skills: (a) with a special emphasis on pedagogical content knowledge to promote active learning; (b) in the knowledge of the classroom culture and its problems associated with poor outcomes, offering the students equal opportunities for academic performance in STEM; and (c) in the management of a learning environment suitable for all students, inclusive classrooms, alleviating the burden of academic success being only on students. Finally, the teaching evaluation instrument needs to be improved.

Ethnicity, Race, and Gender in Engineering Education: The Nuanced Experiences of Male and Female Latinx Engineering Undergraduates Targeted by Microaggressions.

Compared to other groups, relatively less research has specifically addressed the retention of Latinx students in STEM disciplines. These students face many negative stereotypes about their group, especially related to their academic success, yet there is limited research regarding how microaggressions, subtle or ambiguous discriminatory behaviors, targeting Latinx students in engineering education settings impact their experience in those programs. Guided by Sue's definitions and taxonomy of microaggressions, Critical Race Theory and Latino Critical Theory, the purpose of the current study was to answer the following research questions: 1) What microaggressions do Latinx engineering undergraduates experience in an engineering education environment? and 2) How do these microaggressions impact Latinx engineering undergraduates' academic well-being, as defined by their academic self-efficacy and academic performance?

Merging Different Disciplines to Create a Sustainable School Garden

Increasing the engagement of high-school students in STEM disciplines and introducing them to real-world problems are two very important goals for educators worldwide. Michael Wells, principal of Munster High School in Indiana, recently directed the implementation of Project GREEN – a unique, school-wide, and innovative program that brings students together to build a 21st century school garden.

The BioS4You European Project: An Innovative Way to Effectively Engage Z-Generation Students in STEM Disciplines

In this contribution, we present the BioS4You project and analyse the results obtained in the first 18 months of its activity. The “Bio-Inspired STEM topics for engaging young generations” (BioS4You) Erasmus+ KA2 Innovation project aims to bridge the gap between STEM national curricula (which include Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) and the needs of Z-generation students, uninterested to basic themes, but enthusiastic in issues related to environmental, social, and health concerns. The BioS4You project engages young learners in STEM subjects, starting with current issues of interest for them, as the social and environmental impact of new technologies, connecting STEM concepts to real-world technologies that are supporting on facing environmental, social, and health current challenges. Novel fields such as Bioengineering, Bioscience, Biotechnology can be implemented into classroom teaching, integrating academic disciplines, and stimulating the academic and social growth of young people. The knowledge of new STEM contents makes the students feel an active part of the technological innovation (and not just passive users) and help them to build a better future, bringing them closer to the STEM world and enabling them to make more informed choices for their future careers.

Georgia State University Perimeter College LSAMP Transfer Bridge Program: A Path Forward for Broadening Participation in Stem

Summer Bridge Programs are increasingly becoming a popular strategy for Colleges and Universities to retain more historically underrepresented minority students in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines. Retaining students in STEM disciplines is a necessary first step in order to accomplish the ultimate goal of diversifying the STEM workforce to create innovative solutions for today’s complex problems. In this paper, the authors describe an exploratory and descriptive study of the promising Georgia State University Perimeter College (GSU-PC) Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP) Transfer Bridge Program. Most summer bridge programs are designed to facilitate seamless entry into college for incoming first year students, but the GSU-PC LSAMP Transfer Bridge program is designed to support the successful transition of underrepresented STEM students transferring from a 2-year to 4-year institution. Early results indicate that the Transfer Bridge participants were significantly more likely to enroll in a 4-year STEM program, receive a STEM bachelor’s degree, enroll in a post-baccalaureate STEM program, and receive a STEM post-baccalaureate degree than a comparison group of non-Transfer Bridge students at Georgia State University Perimeter College.

Virtual escape room and STEM content: Effects on the affective domain on teacher trainess

In recent times, there has been growing disinterest by students in STEM disciplines (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). This trend is especially acute in those students who do not take STEM content during their secondary or high school education. This disinterest might be conditioned by negative emotions towards science developed by students during the different educational stages, even from an early age. In this sense, active teaching methodologies, such as gamification, play a fundamental role in fostering positive emotions towards learning STEM content. Within the wide range of gamification methodologies, we find educational Escape Rooms. Due to the current situation generated by COVID-19, many of the lessons have had to be adapted to a virtual format through various online platforms. In this study, in a preliminary manner, we aim to analyze the effects on the affective domain produced by a virtual Escape Room used in a STEM course as an instructional tool to teach contents about the Universe to teachers in training. According to the results obtained, the positive emotions of “happiness”, “satisfaction” and “fun” are significantly increased after the intervention. At the same time, some negative emotions, such as “nervousness”, “frustration” and “worry” also increase, partly due to the components typically found in this type of games. Based on these results, it is concluded that, despite the existence of both positive and negative emotions, the results are promising and the intervention is motivating and stimulating for the students.

Engagement in High-Impact Practices and Its Influence on Community College Transfers’ STEM Degree Attainment

ABSTRACT Guided by the student engagement frameworks, this study sought to identify high-impact practices that show significant relationship with the baccalaureate degree attainment in STEM among vertical transfer students. Our study employed data drawn from the Educational Longitudinal Study of 2002 (or ELS, 2002). The sample includes 681 students who intended to study STEM and began post-secondary education at a two-year public institution before subsequently enrolling in a four-year institution. We first employed descriptive statistics to provide an overall portrait of the sample. Then, a logistic regression model was used to identify factors associated with students’ completion of STEM credential at the bachelor’s level or above. The study findings highlight the importance of some high-impact practices in affecting transfer students’ successful attainment of STEM degree. Specifically, we found that participation in community-based project, mentoring and internship programs, and having culminating senior experience increased the odds that transfer students obtained a STEM degree at the baccalaureate level or above. Based on the results, this study offers meaningful implications for policy, practice, and future research to facilitate the success of transfer students in STEM disciplines.

Developing STEM Identity and Talent in Underrepresented Students: Lessons Learned From Four Gifted Black Males in a Magnet School Program

There is well-documented research and data that echo the concern for the future of United States’ ability to globally compete in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) innovation and to fulfill the shortage in talent that exists within this field of study. This concern compels us to seek more impactful and long-term solutions to the issues surrounding motivation and retention of underrepresented students in STEM disciplines. It is imperative that we increase our capability to effectively identify, recruit, and retain underrepresented students within the STEM pipeline. Focusing on identity development as the first of these critical capacities, a case study was conducted to determine if any central characteristics exist that shape the STEM self-concept and identity of four gifted, Black male students who were recent graduates from a predominantly Black, Title 1 high school within a southern, rural region of America. Two 90-min, audio-recorded interviews were conducted with a follow-up focus group discussion a year later. Their experiences were told in retrospect, narrated using their perspectives as they related to their “life” and “STEM” stories. The data revealed STEM identity development very much connected to race, cultural values, and contextual STEM environment. Exploring the dynamics of development surrounding motivation, this article highlights their STEM success to better understand how their STEM talent was developed. Their stories, common themes, and implications for educators are discussed followed by a call for further research.

Building Engineering Awareness: Problem Based Learning Approach for STEM Integration

Educators in the twenty-first century need to think of innovative ways to engage and prepare students for current and future challenges while cultivating an interest among students in STEM disciplines. This study sought to investigate the impact of problem-based learning on students’ content knowledge and critical thinking towards STEM. This study employed a quasi-experimental repeated measure design. Instruments such as STEM content assessments and a standardized critical thinking test were employed for data collection. Analysis was conducted using a mixed repeated measure between-within subject analysis of variance (ANOVA). The results revealed a significant difference (p <. 05) between problem-based learning and traditional learning groups in regard to their content knowledge and critical thinking skills.

Reframing Achievement Setbacks: A Motivation Intervention to Improve 8-Year Graduation Rates for Students in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Fields

Despite increased emphasis on educating students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines, nearly half of U.S. college students who enroll in these programs fail to graduate with STEM degrees. Using archival data from the Motivation and Academic Achievement Database, we tested whether a motivation intervention to reframe causal attributions for academic setbacks improved graduation rates for college students in STEM disciplines (N = 496). Results showed that the intervention increased the odds of 8-year graduation for students who were at risk of college dropout. Findings highlight the potential of theory-informed psychological interventions to increase persistence to graduation for at-risk students in STEM fields.

An Interactive Online Electron Microscopy Platform Integrating Classroom Lectures and Lab Practice

Abstract

Developing Culturally and Structurally Responsive Approaches to STEM Education to Advance Education Equity

Numerous structural and cultural barriers exist that contribute to the underrepresentation of Black/African American students in STEM disciplines and careers. This article explores how structural and cultural barriers operate to impact Black/African American students’ pursuit of STEM education and STEM careers. The authors describe structurally and culturally responsive frameworks that may address these barriers and provide specific recommendations to increase education equity and representation of Black/African American students in STEM careers.

ICT Integration Practices of STEM Teachers in TVET

STEM Education is important for a country to be advanced in economy and technology. It is achieved through skilled and multi-talented workforce produced by Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) which is a component of STEM Education. Technology becomes a mechanism for STEM teachers to engage their students in STEM disciplines. However, STEM teachers have barriers and challenges integrating technology in STEM Education. Therefore, it is the purpose of this study to examine STEM teachers’ technology integration practices in the context of ICT. This is a preliminary study that is conducted in MARA TVET – one of the private providers of TVET in Malaysia. Using a quantitative data collection tool, 32 STEM teachers from MARA TVET in Borneo Region participated in the study. The study employed adopted SPMa (Standard Practices MARA Educators) instrument that consists of three dimensions: basic ICT skills, integrating ICT in teaching and learning and communicate skillfully using ICT. The overall result revealed that the level of ICT integration of STEM teachers in MARA TVET is high (M = 2.63, SD = 0.80). Dimension basic ICT skills had the lowest mean (M = 2.41, SD = 1.04) and followed by dimension integrating ICT in teaching and learning (M = 2.69, SD = 0.90). Dimension using ICT to communicate had the highest mean (M = 2.78, SD = 1.04). In conclusion, the level of ICT integration of STEM teachers in MARA TVET of Borneo Region based on adopted SPMa instrument is moderate. Though ICT skills affect ICT integration in teaching and learning, there is also a need to examine other factors that affect the success of ICT integration. STEM teachers’ knowledge is a proposed variable to be investigated in future research.

Stereotype Threat and Career Goals Among Women in STEM: Mediating and Moderating Roles of Perfectionism

This study examines how the interplay between individual and contextual factors contributes to the academic and career outcomes of female science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) students. Hypotheses regarding the indirect influence of stereotype threat on STEM career goals were assessed. Data were collected from 323 undergraduate women students in STEM disciplines through an online survey. Using structural equation modeling, results revealed that (a) perfectionism mediated the relationship between stereotype threat and self-efficacy, and (b) stereotype threat was distally associated with career goals through the mediating mechanisms of perfectionism, self-efficacy, and interest. In an alternative model, perfectionism was also not found to moderate the indirect association between stereotype threat and interest. Recommendations for future research and implications for practice are presented.

In Your Face: Consideration of higher risks for chemical exposure to persons with disabilities in laboratories

Workforce diversity is seen to have a competitive advantage over organizations that are not diverse. It is observed that these organizations have advantages in creativity, problem-solving, decision-making, and overall quality of results, among other observed outcomes. The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, passed nearly 30 years ago, opens doors for people with disabilities to enter the workforce. While many under-represented groups are increasing participation, such as women, participation of people with disabilities remains static. This article focuses only on mobility and motor impairments or physical difficulties that could put individuals with disabilities at greater risk of exposures from hazardous chemicals while working in laboratories. Dosage experienced is potentially greater in people who are below the historical standard chemical fume hood testing height of 178 cm (70 inches). Ergonomic concepts and anthropometric adult-measurement data can help OH&S, IH, EH&S professionals to investigate and mitigate physical conditions in laboratories that could increase exposure risks of hazardous fumes, vapors, and airborne particulate to persons who use wheelchairs or who must be seated while operating chemical fume hoods and working at open benches. More exposure tests need to be conducted to assess risks for able and disabled laboratory science workers and students in STEM disciplines. Chemical fume hood testing protocols and certification may need further amendments to acknowledge the data generated and validated in exposure research that includes critical ergonomic factors.

First-Year Undergraduate Student Expectations of two UK Chemistry Degree Programmes

Recent work on student perceptions of skills development and engagement with different teaching and learning approaches have provided useful evidence bases for practitioners aiming to enhance the student learning experience. Although there has been some useful research on student expectations in non-STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) disciplines, there remains an opportunity to measure and analyse the expectations of students in STEM disciplines, particularly chemistry. The aim of this study was to measure the expectations that first year undergraduate chemists have of the types of learning experiences that will be included in their degree programmes, the amount of time per week that they will devote to different aspects of study and the types of learning behaviours they will adopt. Data was collected using questionnaires deployed at the Universities of Leicester and Sussex in the 2017/18 academic year. The study has shown that many students overestimate the amount of lecture based (59%) and small group based (57%) contact time they expect to have. Students appear to place a high value on the importance of feedback in the learning process but the proportion of students who agree they will read and act on feedback decreases over the course of the academic year. A number of factors feed into student reflections on the difference between expectation and reality including the quality of student life (e.g. quality of accommodation and social activities), value-for-money concerns (e.g. the amount of contact time and the quality of teaching) and matters related to workload and learning support.