Journal of Research in Science, Mathematics and Technology Education

Persistence of STEM Majors in Higher Education

Becca Hedge 1 *
1 Rockhurst University* Corresponding Author
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Journal of Research in Science, Mathematics and Technology Education, Volume 7, Issue SI, 2024, pp. 27-41
OPEN ACCESS VIEWS: 410 DOWNLOADS: 150 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
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