Table of Research Findings

COMM 600 Table of Research Findings

RESEARCH TOPIC: GENDER DIFFERENCES IN STEM COURSEWORK

Source Defin Focus of Study Methodology Findings Personal Reflection tions/ Key Ter ms Mahoney, M. stude Study sought to find The author sought to create a reliable Though the study As one who is wary of “Students' Attitudes nts reliable instruments instrument to measure attitude, which is anticipated nonsense research, I found Toward STEM: attitu to measure high clearly a qualitative measurement. Student students from the this study used a significant Development of des, school students’ focus groups were used, as well as a panel of STEM focused amount of data collected over Instrument for High reliab attitudes towards experts including those in the STEM school would a period of years which, to School STEM-Based ility, taking STEM, industry and teachers. Many statistical have more me, gave it much more Programs” STE science, technology, instruments were also employed, such as positive attitude validity. The list of questions M engineering and PCA, Principal Components Analysis, which results than the used to collect the data was educa math, classes. does not assume any particular distribution, students simply based on recommendations tion, Measuring the and Cronback’s alpha coefficients, for scale enrolled in the from a panel of experts high quality of attitude consistency, to yield both useful and reliable STEM courses in instead of being based on schoo will have a information from the collected data. The college preconceived assumptions. l, beneficial outcome subjects included students from a school preparatory The author also used secon of enabling students with a STEM focus as well as students courses in a statistical methods which dary to have a positive enrolled in STEM classes through a college public high gave more credence to the schoo attitude toward preparatory program within a public high school, there was results, rather than skewing l, enrolling in STEM school. These groups were chosen in no significant them in the favor of expected scien classes. Success in particular to avoid misleading data based on correlation. Also, findings. Conclusions also ce, STEM courses at the a biased population sample. Three precise based on the reflected good research techn high school level independent variables were also used, that is statistics, ninth practices by clearly ology translates to students gender, grade level and school location. graders tended to delineating the results even , choosing STEM have a when results were not as engin careers to pursue in significantly expected. Rather than eerin college, which in better attitude justifying the unexpected g, turn leads to a toward STEM result, he used it as a point for math, supply of candidates courses, further research. I feel the gend in the STEM career especially instrument to measure er fields to ensure the mathematics, attitude he created will be a differ country’s than did eleventh great benefit in steering ence, competitive edge in graders. There students toward STEM colle global markets. was also a classes. ge difference in prepa attitude ration demonstrated between the boys and girls but it was not significant. O'Shea, M., qualit Widely recognized The study was extremely focused on a Success of the Though I know each of these Heilbronner, N. N., & ative research shows precise segment of only 23 women, which academically young ladies likely worked Reis, S. M. resea females tend to comprised only about 5% of a larger talented young very hard to achieve their “Characteristics of rch, score lower on population of females. While the population women in high individual levels of success in Academically Talented femal Academic investigated was precise, a wide variety of school translated mathematics and in life, I also Women Who Achieve es, Acheivement tests shared characteristics were investigated in to pursuit of feel it is in large part due to at High Levels on the achie and college entrance order perhaps nurture these qualities in other, advanced degrees the tremendous amount of Scholastic veme exams in less academically elitist segments of female in STEM and support they were offered Achievement Test- nt mathematics. Also, student body as a whole. Some of the careers in the within the school and home Mathematics” tests, females tend to characteristics investigated were the common field. The study environment. In saying this, I gend pursue less graduate measures of intelligence recorded in their found the young am not implying they would er degrees and careers report cards, IQ scores and permanent school women’s fail without it, but rather, I differ in the STEM, records. Other non-academic information personal would hope there would be a ences science, technology, was collected such as involvement in school, perception of way to support those less , engineering and home environment, support of family, how well they are fortunate, those who do not colle math field. Based education level of parents, teacher doing can frame have that great math teacher, ge on these contentions, interactions and school environment and their success or those who were never taught entra the study sought to support. failure in the hints for test taking, and nce specifically mathematics and those whose parents cannot exam investigate 23 in turn their help them. Because of the s, academically success on SAT experience I had in teaching famil talented young math. Strictly in a school where 56% of the y women who did academic students lived at or below the envir indeed excel on the strengths were poverty level, I am not quick onme SAT mathematics not necessarily to judge the parents, nor am I nt; section. Similar the only support quick to judge the school math, characteristics and offered these systems. If we witness the scien environments talented young profound difference support ces, demonstrated by this women. Support can make in a student’s engin group of young of teachers, test- success, our funding ought to eerin females studied taking strategies, go in that direction. The g, could possibly lead family members supports were pretty basic, techn to interventions in with degrees in not rocket science, not new ology the future to mathematics math, not project based , encourage young based fields were learning, just support and educa females to excel in also present. encouragement on the most tion, mathematics and Academic and basic level. Such support does schol pursue STEM environmental not cost near as much as astic graduate degrees support was reinventing the wheel. aptitu and careers. shown to be a de significant test component in the abilities of these young women to perform well on SAT math giving them greater opportunities in college and career choices. Shapka, J., gend The study sought to Introductory statements discuss considerable Findings showed For me, the most compelling “Trajectories of Math er, determine if the previous research on girls’ success rates in no evidence of result of this study was the Achievement and math success of girls in math and science in grade school, pointing definitive success fact it seemed to refute the Perceived Math emati single gender STEM out few studies are longitudinal, that is, the of single sex positive impact of single sex Competence Over High cs curricula in high success or failure of girls in math has not mathematics mathematics classrooms for School and educa school carried over been followed over a period of time to post courses with girls. The author does Postsecondary tion, to postsecondary secondary institutions. This study seeks to respect to acknowledge the constructs Education: Effects of high education. The girls provide information regarding whether or not transitioning of the study may have led to an All-Girl Curriculum schoo studied were ninth girls relative success in single sex either academic this result. However, the in High School” l, and tenth graders mathematics classes is sustained during the performance or author does say at one point post- taking math and/or transition to post secondary institutions. perceived success the dramatically different, secon science in a single Success in mathematics was a function of through post- steadily declining plot of girls dary, gender classroom. achievement and self perception of secondary in single sex classrooms may longit This single gender competence. Data in this study was education. Actual indicate the girls actually udina classroom comprised of student records and self- performance have a more consistent l, opportunity was reporting. A variety of controls were used, levels for girls in performance. This multi voluntary, yet only including both male and female students single sex math circumstance can be used to level those students who from coeducational mathematics courses. courses, in fact support these girls through mode had averaged 70% Covariates such as parental education, steadily the period of decline. Also, I ling or better in their parental expectations and pre-secondary decreased from very much agree with the seventh and eighth mathematics success were also employed as the time the girls author’s view further grade mathematics possible indicators of outcome in entered the investigation of the courses were mathematics achievement over the long term. program through socialization of these girls eligible for college. needs to be completed. The enrollment. This Academic fact they chose to be in the longitudinal study success for both single sex mathematics specifically boys and girls in classroom could have examined the topics coeducational impacted the results. There is of achievement and classes exhibited no way of knowing if the girls perception of a u-shaped curve, had been a part of a mathematics over were there was a coeducational class if their time from high dip during the decline would have been school through transition to high more or less dramatic. Studies college. school, and a prompting the research into recovery period transition of mathematics in the last years success, demonstrated of high school positive results in single sex math through classrooms for girls. It will be college. With interesting to follow respect to self subsequent research into perception of possible interventions to mathematics support college success. competence, all classes of subjects had a similar shape graph with a slight increase from entrance into high school to graduation then a slight decline upon entering college. Evaluation of the findings discussed the possibility of studying a larger population of students in the future since the small sample could have led to flat results. Also, the relatively small population studied may not demonstrate the impact of socialization on both achievement and self perception of competence in mathematics.

Shaw, E. J., & Barbuti, STE “Major The study is founded in SCCT, or Social Certain The large data set of this S. “Patterns of M persistence,” or not Cognitive Career Theory, which the author characteristics of study from over 50,000 Persistence in Intended educa changing or attributed to the works of Lent and Brown students studied student surveys gave a broad College Major With a tion, switching majors in (2006). Three essential aspects of SCCT had an influence range of subjects to avoid Focus on STEM Majors highe college after used in the study were self efficacy, outcome on major bias due to demographics or r expressing an initial expectations and personal goals. These persistence in geographical region. educa choice of major was aspects were framed around how they could STEM fields. The Personally, I feel there are, tion, the focus of this influence a student to persist with a STEM researchers noted however, a couple of curric study. The subject field degree choice to the point of graduation these potential issues to the data ula, population was over in the initial chosen field. For the purposes of characteristics collection which may still colle 50,000 students who this study, the influence of variables such as were not skew the data in some ge had completed SAT academic skills, race, gender, and consistent for respects. First of all, picking major exam socioeconomic circumstances upon the three each of the of a major on an SAT s, questionnaires. essential aspects of SCCT were considered STEM fields. For questionnaire may not be a multi Additional as influential factors in major persistence. instance, self true statement of a student’s cultur information was efficacy, or a intentions. The focus of the al collected regarding student feeling task at hand when students issue students who took they were skilled are taking an SAT test is s, AP exams. The in a STEM field, likely the culmination of gend focus in collecting showed no months of preparation, stress er this information was correlation to and anxiety upon which the dispa to determine if major persistence student’s future in college and rity, students who for those indeed their life, may be gend expressed an interest majoring in based. Picking one’s intended er in a STEM degree computer major is certainly not a differ program on the sciences. In other priority on that particular day. ence, questionnaire as major fields, Also, the focus on students scien well as AP success in math who took AP exams may not ce, coursework, and science in be a measure of potential techn switched majors by high school as success, since not all school ology their third year in well as taking AP curriculum includes AP , college or persisted exams showed a courses, and many students engin in their initial relationship with who take honors classes in eerin choice. The subjects both self efficacy STEM subjects are likely just g and who expressed a and major as likely to persist in an math STEM based major persistence. The expressed major intention in a emati were examined to authors noted STEM field. cs gain insight into limitations to the possible reasons usefulness of the these students do not study such as not complete a degree in following the a STEM field. students through graduation, and the omission of the students’ feelings about environmental assistance and impediments. A more focused study was suggested to hone in on how to support students in major persistence by overcoming self efficacy beliefs and anticipate challenges to being successful in the STEM field. Xu, Y. J., “Gender wom A debate over the Two specific models were used in The author notes I enjoyed the balanced Disparity in STEM en reason for less determining potential causes of lower female a limitation of the presentation of the data from Disciplines: A Study of scient women having representation in STEM fields. The author value of the data the study through use of the Faculty Attrition and ists, terminal degrees in credits Kulis et al. 2002; Pell 1996 with the since it was pipeline and deficit models. Turnover Intentions wom STEM fields, pipeline model, and Sonnert and Holton collected in 1999, Neither one or the other en leading to fewer 1996; Settles et al. and also indicates model gives a complete facult female members in 2006 with the deficit model. The pipeline the relatively picture of the reason for y, STEM related fields model assumes a seepage or loss of female small amount of female faculty attrition and dispr is the focus of this faculty over time between the hiring process female faculty turnover. Each model opor- study. The two and through their career. Addressing the loss members demonstrates a segment of the tionat distinct schools of of faculty through the pipeline model leads included in the potential for acquiring and e thought explaining to a recommendation of increasing the study may retaining female faculty repre this circumstance stream of female prospects into the faculty influence validity members in the STEM field. senta are those who mix. The deficit model views the shortage as of the findings. -tion, attribute the a function of gender bias in the workplace Data showed gend disparity to gender- including limited opportunities for women there were more er based socialization and impediments in the hiring process in the female doctoral differ and those who academic environment. Increasing candidates in ences attribute it to opportunities and removing barriers for STEM fields , structural issues women is the focus of the deficit model. compared to facult within society at years past, but y large or within the there was not a mobil academic proportionate ity, community. amount of female labor Participants in the candidates hired. turno study were from This would show ver, over 950 post the loss or scien secondary seepage of ces, institutions women according techn employing 27,000 to the pipeline ology faculty members. Of model, happened , these, 18,000 actual during the hiring engin surveys were phase. Regarding eerin collected to structural aspects g, determine the hiring within the deficit math and retention of model, data emati female faculty demonstrated cs, members in STEM female faculty do highe fields compared to not feel r male counterparts. supported within educa the realm of tion, research, nor do sex they feel role confident in being able to express their ideas freely. Suggestions from the study for acting upon the findings include ensuring fair hiring practices as well as structural supports where the female faculty feel they have a dialogue with both male and female collegues regarding their needs in order to be successful in their position.