Increasing College Students’ Interest and Engagement in STEM: A Comparison of Strategies for Challenging STEM Stereotypes
Increasing College Students’ Interest and Engagement in STEM: A Comparison of Strategies for Challenging STEM Stereotypes
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/11401/76797 | |
| dc.description.sponsorship | This work is sponsored by the Stony Brook University Graduate School in compliance with the requirements for completion of degree. | en_US |
| dc.format | Monograph | |
| dc.format.medium | Electronic Resource | en_US |
| dc.language.iso | en_US | |
| dc.publisher | The Graduate School, Stony Brook University: Stony Brook, NY. | |
| dc.type | Dissertation | |
| dcterms.abstract | Increasing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) graduates has become an important part of the education agenda in the U.S. in recent years. Stereotypes about STEM (i.e., belief that STEM abilities are innate, and that European American men are best suited for STEM) have been identified as one of the critical factors that may contribute to low recruitment and retention of STEM students. Drawing from the literatures on biological essentialism and role models, this study compared different strategies for challenging STEM stereotypes among undergraduate students in STEM and non-STEM fields. STEM stereotypes were challenged directly with research articles that provided non-biological explanations for STEM success and interest (a strategy used in the essentialism research) and indirectly with biographies of successful STEM role models who are underrepresented in their field and who succeeded through hard work (a strategy used in the role model research). Contrary to the predictions, exposure to the role model biographies, research articles, or combination of both did not have statistically significant effects on participants’ reported STEM interest and academic intentions. Possible explanations for the lack of significant findings as well as suggestions for developing effective interventions to promote STEM engagement among students are discussed. | |
| dcterms.abstract | Increasing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) graduates has become an important part of the education agenda in the U.S. in recent years. Stereotypes about STEM (i.e., belief that STEM abilities are innate, and that European American men are best suited for STEM) have been identified as one of the critical factors that may contribute to low recruitment and retention of STEM students. Drawing from the literatures on biological essentialism and role models, this study compared different strategies for challenging STEM stereotypes among undergraduate students in STEM and non-STEM fields. STEM stereotypes were challenged directly with research articles that provided non-biological explanations for STEM success and interest (a strategy used in the essentialism research) and indirectly with biographies of successful STEM role models who are underrepresented in their field and who succeeded through hard work (a strategy used in the role model research). Contrary to the predictions, exposure to the role model biographies, research articles, or combination of both did not have statistically significant effects on participants’ reported STEM interest and academic intentions. Possible explanations for the lack of significant findings as well as suggestions for developing effective interventions to promote STEM engagement among students are discussed. | |
| dcterms.available | 2017-09-20T16:51:12Z | |
| dcterms.contributor | Moyer, Anne | en_US |
| dcterms.contributor | Levy, Sheri R. | en_US |
| dcterms.contributor | London, Bonita | en_US |
| dcterms.contributor | Rajaram, Suparna | en_US |
| dcterms.contributor | Bear, Julia | en_US |
| dcterms.contributor | . | en_US |
| dcterms.creator | Shin, Jiyun Elizabeth | |
| dcterms.dateAccepted | 2017-09-20T16:51:12Z | |
| dcterms.dateSubmitted | 2017-09-20T16:51:12Z | |
| dcterms.description | Department of Social/Health Psychology | en_US |
| dcterms.extent | 63 pg. | en_US |
| dcterms.format | Application/PDF | en_US |
| dcterms.format | Monograph | |
| dcterms.identifier | http://hdl.handle.net/11401/76797 | |
| dcterms.issued | 2016-12-01 | |
| dcterms.language | en_US | |
| dcterms.provenance | Made available in DSpace on 2017-09-20T16:51:12Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Shin_grad.sunysb_0771E_13155.pdf: 612397 bytes, checksum: 2d85467ad99675d231d004f39d1aa248 (MD5) Previous issue date: 1 | en |
| dcterms.publisher | The Graduate School, Stony Brook University: Stony Brook, NY. | |
| dcterms.subject | Psychology | |
| dcterms.title | Increasing College Students’ Interest and Engagement in STEM: A Comparison of Strategies for Challenging STEM Stereotypes | |
| dcterms.title | Increasing College Students’ Interest and Engagement in STEM: A Comparison of Strategies for Challenging STEM Stereotypes | |
| dcterms.type | Dissertation |
