Journal of Research in Science, Mathematics and Technology Education

Persistence of STEM Majors in Higher Education

Becca Hedge 1 *
1 Rockhurst University* Corresponding Author
Download PDF
Journal of Research in Science, Mathematics and Technology Education, Volume 7, Issue SI, June 2024, pp. 27-41
OPEN ACCESS VIEWS: 883 DOWNLOADS: 404 Publication date: 15 Jun 2024
ABSTRACT
Students in STEM programs often face difficult or ‘weed out’ courses in their first year of declaring their major and are frequently confronted with academic threats such as lack of understanding complex concepts, or receiving poor grades. The U.S. is estimated to need at least 1 million more STEM majors to meet the growing job market in STEM fields, and nearly 60% of students who declare a STEM major eventually switch to a non-STEM major or leave without any degree (Turetsky et al., 2020). Drawing on self-affirmation theory, this quantitative study explores the role that academic confidence and a sense of belonging play in STEM major persistence through a lens of self-affirmations. Fifty-four undergraduate students participated in a pre-test/post-test survey with a double-blind affirmation intervention in an introductory chemistry I course. Findings revealed a remarkably high STEM major persistence rate of 102%, but no statistically significant findings, challenging the notion of standalone affirmation interventions as a quick solution for retention. While the intervention did not yield statistically significant results, post-test belonging scores suggest a more significant influence on persistence than academic confidence. The study underscores the complexity of promoting STEM major persistence. Future research could explore longitudinal impacts, additional institutions, and mechanisms underlying student belonging to develop more effective retention strategies.
KEYWORDS
STEM, Affirmation, Belonging, Academic confidence, Persistence
CITATION (APA)
Hedge, B. (2024). Persistence of STEM Majors in Higher Education. Journal of Research in Science, Mathematics and Technology Education, 7(SI), 27-41. https://doi.org/10.31756/jrsmte.312SI
REFERENCES
  1. Ajjawi, R., Dracup, M., Zacharias, N., Bennett, S. & Boud, D. (2020). Persisting students’ explanations of and emotional responses to academic failure. Higher Education Research & Development, 39(2), 185-199. https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2019.1664999
  2. Asher, M. W., Harackiewicz, J. M., Beymer, P. N., Hecht, C. A., Lamont, L. B., Else-Quest, N. M., Priniski, S. J., Thoman, D. B., Hyde, J. S., & Smith, J. L. (2023). Utility-value intervention promotes persistence and diversity in STEM. PNAS, 120(19), 1-6. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2300463120
  3. Bandura, A. (1977). Self-efficacy: Toward a unifying theory of behavioral change. Psychological Review, 84(2), 191-215. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-295X.84.2.191
  4. Baumeister, R. F., & Leary, M. R. (1995). The need to belong: Desire for interpersonal attachments as fundamental human motivation. Psychological Bulletin, 117(3), 497-529. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.117.3.497
  5. Beauchamp, A. L., Roberts, S., Aloisio, J. M., Wasserman, D., Heimlich, J. E., Lewis, J. D., Munshi-South, J., Clark, J. A., & Tingley, K. (2022). Effects of research and mentoring on underrepresented youths’ STEM persistence into college. Journal of Experiential Education, 45(3), 316-336. https://doi.org/10.1177/10538259211050098
  6. Bowden, J. L., Tickle, L., & Naumann, K. (2021). The four pillars of tertiary student engagement and success: A holistic measurement approach. Studies in Higher Education, 46(6), 1207-1224. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2019.1672647
  7. Cohen, R., & Kelly, A. M. (2019). Community college chemistry coursetaking and STEM academic persistence. Journal of Chemical Education, 96, 3-11. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.8b00586
  8. Cromley, J. G., Perez, T., & Kaplan, A. (2016). Undergraduate STEM achievement and retention: Cognitive, motivational, and institutional factors and solutions. Policy Implications of the Brain and Behavioral Sciences, 3(1), 4–11. https://doi.org/10.1177/2372732215622648
  9. Dweck, C. S., Walton, G. M., & Cohen, G. L. (2014). Academic tenacity: Mindsets and skills promote long-term learning. Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
  10. Estrada, M., Young, G. R., Nagy, J., Goldstein, E. J., Ben-Zeev, A., Marquez-Magana, L., & Eroy- Reveles, A. (2019). The Influence of microaffirmations on undergraduate persistence in science career pathways. CBE- Life Sciences Education, 18(3), 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1187/cbe.19-01-0012
  11. Gibbons, R. E., & Raker, J. R. (2019). Self-beliefs in organic chemistry: Evaluation of a reciprocal causation, cross-lagged model. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 56(5), 589-618. https://doi.org/10.1002/tea.21515
  12. Good, C., Rattan, A., & Dweck, C. S. (2012). Why do women opt out? Sense of belonging and women’s representation in mathematics. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 102(4), 700-717. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0026659
  13. Graham, M. J., Frederick, J., Byars-Winston, A., Hunter, A. B., & Handelsman, J. (2013). Increasing persistence of college students in STEM. Science, 341(6153), 1455-1463. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1240487
  14. Griffin, C. R. (2023). Women’s sense of belonging in undergraduate calculus and the influence of (inter)active learning opportunities. Journal of Research in Science, Mathematics, and Technology Education, 6(2), 65-82. https://doi.org/10.31756/jrsmte.622
  15. Hadden, I.R., Easterbrook, M.J., Nieuwenhuis, M., Fox, K.J. & Dolan, P. (2019) Self-affirmation reduces the socioeconomic attainment gap in schools in England. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 90(2), 517–536. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjep.12291
  16. Harackiewicz, J.M., Canning, E.A., Tibbetts, Y., Giffen, C.J., Blair, S.S., Rouse, D.I., & Hyde, J. S. (2014). Closing the social class achievement gap for first-generation students in undergraduate biology. Journal of Educational Psychology, 106(2), 375–389. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0034679
  17. Honicke, T., & Broadbent, J. (2016). The influence of academic self-efficacy on academic performance: A systematic review. Educational Research Review, 17, 63-84. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2015.11.002
  18. Layous, K., Davis, E. M., Garcia, J., Purdie-Vaughns, V., Cook, J., & Cohen, G. L. (2017). Feeling left out, but affirmed: Protecting against the negative effects of low belonging in college. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 69, 227-231. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesp.2016.09.008
  19. Maslow, A. H. (1943). A theory of human motivation. Psychological Review, 50(4), 370-396. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0054346
  20. Pedler, M. L., Willis, R., & Nieuwoudt, J. E. (2022). A sense of belonging at university: Student retention, motivation and enjoyment. Journal of Further and Higher Education, (46)3, 397-408. https://doi.org/10.1080/0309877X.2021.1955844
  21. President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST). (2012). Engage to excel: Producing one million additional college graduates with degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Executive Office of the President. https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/sites/default/files/microsites/ostp/pcast-executive-report-final_2-13-12.pdf
  22. Sellami, N. Toven-Lindsey, B., Levis-Fitzgerald, M., Barber, P., & Hasson, T. (2021). A unique and scalable model for increasing research engagement, STEM persistence, and entry into doctoral programs. CBE- Life Sciences Education, 20(1), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1187/cbe.20-09-0224
  23. Steele, C. M. (1988). The psychology of self-affirmation: Sustaining the integrity of the self. Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, 21, 261-302. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0065-2601(08)60229-4
  24. Tinto, V. (2017). Reflections on student persistence. Student Success, 8(2), 1-8. https://doi.org/10.5204/ssj.v8i2.376
  25. Turetsky, K. M., Purdle-Greenaway, V., Cook, J. E., Curley, J. P., & Cohen, G. L. (2020). A psychological intervention strengthens students’ peer social networks and promotes persistence in STEM. Science Advances, 6(45), 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aba9221
  26. Vega, Y., & Meaders, C. L. (2023). Have you heard about this? An exploration of instructor communication about campus resources to students in biology courses. Journal of Research in Science, Mathematics and Technology Education, 6(2), 41-64. https://doi.org/10.31756/jrsmte.621
  27. Wilson, D., Jones, D., Bocell, F., Crawford, J., Kim, M. J., Veilleux, N., Floyd-Smith, T., Bates, R., & Plett, M. (2015). Belonging and academic engagement among undergraduate STEM students: A multi-institutional study. Research in Higher Education, 56, 750-766. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11162-015-9367-x
  28. Wu, Z., Spreckelsen, T. F., & Cohen, G. (2021). A meta-analysis of the effect of values affirmation on academic achievement. Journal of Social Issues, 77(3), 702-750. https://doi.org/10.1111/josi.12415
  29. Yeager, D. S., & Dweck, C. S. (2012). Mindsets that promote resilience: When students believe that personal characteristics can be developed. Educational Psychologist, 47(4), 302-314. https://doi.org/10.1080/00461520.2012.722805
  30. Zumbrunn, S., McKim, C., Buhs, E., & Hawley, L. R. (2014). Support, belonging, motivation, and engagement in the college classroom: A mixed method study. Instructional Science, 42(5), 661-684. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11251-014-9310-0
LICENSE
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.