Early experiences and integration in the persistence of first‐generation college students in STEM and non‐STEM majors

Dika, Sandra L.; D’Amico, Mark M.

doi:10.1002/tea.21301

Cited by 161 publications

(170 citation statements)

References 39 publications

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“…Compared to their continuing-generation counterparts, first-generation students tend to underperform (Stephens, Fryberg, Markus, Johnson, & Covarrubias, 2012) and experience higher attrition than other students (D'Amico & Dika, 2013). Also, URM and first-generation status often overlap, so separation of factors is sometimes impossible (Dika & D'Amico, 2016).…”

Section: First Generationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Motivational decline and recovery in higher education STEM courses

Young

Wendel

Esson

et al. 2018

International Journal of Science Education

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Decline in student motivation is a concern for STEM education, especially for underrepresented groups in the sciences. Using the Science Motivation Questionnaire II, 41 foundational STEM courses were surveyed at the beginning and end of each semester in an academic year at a small primarily undergraduate university. Significant pre-to post-semester declines were observed in each of five measured motivational factors (Intrinsic motivation, Career motivation, Self determination, Self-efficacy, and Grade motivation), with effect sizes ranging from 0.21 to 0.41. However, in the second semester pre-survey, four motivational factors rebounded, including three returning to initial levels, suggesting that the observed motivational decline is not long-lasting. Analysis suggests that declines are not related to survey fatigue or student demographics, but rather to grades and, in the case of one motivational factor, to academic field. These findings suggest that a refocus on grading practices across STEM fields may influence student motivation and persistence in STEM. ARTICLE HISTORY Literature reviewIn 2012, the U. S. President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology set a goal of increasing the number of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) bachelor's degrees by one million across a 10-year period (PCAST, 2012). The Council acknowledged that this goal is ambitious, but it could be met through a relatively modest improvement in the less than 40% persistence rate of students entering college as STEM majors. As STEM motivation is a critical contributor to student persistence (Simon, Aulls, Dedic, Hubbard, & Hall, 2015), a better understanding of student motivation broadly across STEM disciplines and how it changes in introductory courses, where attrition is high (Daempfle, 2003), is essential to improving the number of students graduating with STEM degrees.

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Section: First Generationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Motivational decline and recovery in higher education STEM courses

Young

Wendel

Esson

et al. 2018

International Journal of Science Education

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“…Most of the adaptation techniquies proposed by the authors can be attributed to assistance. The representation of adaptation problems by students and ways to overcome them require more profound research [18]. Here, the authors set the following tasks: to consider the difficulties students face in the process of studying at the university and building communication processes, to consider the representation of students' own difficulties, problems and strategies to overcome them, to identify the pattern of repetition of adaptation problems through analyzing opinions of the first, the second and the third year students, to analyze the possibilities of positive reflection in the adaptation of the first year students.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Retrospective Assessment and Proposals for the Adaptation of the First Year Students

Monastyrskaya¹,

Medvedeva²,

Katsura³

2019

Proceedings of the Internation Conference on "Humanities and Social Sciences: Novations, Problems, Prospects" (HSSNPP 2019)

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The process of studying at the university requires a freshman to be independent and active, although many freshmen are not prepared for it. We consider several sets of problems associated with the adaptation of the first year students: learning difficulties, difficulties in communication, the starting level (school background), self-organization, fears, and personal adjustment. Based on the analysis of materials from an applied sociological study, the authors conclude that adaptation to the educational process at the university proceeds faster for students with following characteristics: satisfied with their student life, interested in studying, living an active life, informed about the university before entering it, guided by recommendations of relatives or friends, previously enrolled in this university. The original research is based on students' self-assessment. The students make an attempt to assess their own adaptation problems in the first year of study by the second and the third year students. The novelty of the study is to consider the attitudes of students as subjects of the educational process, who are able to independently comprehend the problems of adaptation to the educational process at the university in the first year of study, their own strategies for overcoming difficulties. Another goal of the study is to present an organizational model for helping the first year students to adapt to the university education process as well as to consider opportunities for positive reflection in the process of adaptation to the educational process in the university. The research materials can be useful to educators, administrative staff of universities, psychologists, and freshmen's parents. Keywords-adaptation of the first year students, difficulties of adaptation, problems of communication, satisfaction with studying, adaptation strategies, organizational model of assistance in adaptation of the first year studentsI.The psychological aspect of adaptation is considered by researchers in the context of the relationship with fear, optimism or depression, satisfaction with the process of studies.

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“…That is, FGCS come from a family where neither parent has attended or completed a post-secondary education, while nonfirst-generation college students (non-FGCS) report having at least one parent complete post-secondary education [10]. We chose to focus on FGCS in this study because they are not likely to have direct experience with a family member who is an engineer, unlike their non-FGCS peers [11]. Because of this lack of connection with other engineers prior to college, these students may interpret items measuring how they see themselves as the kind of people who do engineering differently.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Testing for measurement invariance in engineering identity constructs for first-generation college students

Verdín

Godwin

2017

2017 IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE)

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Abstract-This work-in-progress research study examines the response patterns of first-generation college students (FGCS) to the engineering identity measures compared to non-firstgeneration college students (non-FGCS). This work answers the following research question, "Do FGC and non-FGC engineering students interpret the engineering identity measurement items in a conceptually different manner?" We explore if FGCS respond to engineering identity items similarly to non-FGCS and the fairness of using these instruments for FGCS to make claims about this group. The data for this work are from a survey instrument completed by 2,916 first-year engineering college students from four U.S. institutions. We hypothesize that quantitative measures constructed for the general engineering student population (non-FGCS) may not function the same for a FGCS subpopulation in engineering. Using extensions to the confirmatory factor analysis, we tested for measurement invariance of engineering identity constructs between FGCS and non-FGCS. Our comparative analysis of FGCS and non-FGCS found weak measurement invariance within the engineering identity constructs (i.e. interest, recognition, and performance/competence) indicating a similar factor structure and factor loadings, but different uses of the identity item scale. This research raises questions on the use and fairness of normative measures in engineering education for populations that fall outside the majority engineering student population.

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Early experiences and integration in the persistence of first‐generation college students in STEM and non‐STEM majors

Cited by 161 publications

References 39 publications

Motivational decline and recovery in higher education STEM courses

Motivational decline and recovery in higher education STEM courses

Retrospective Assessment and Proposals for the Adaptation of the First Year Students

Testing for measurement invariance in engineering identity constructs for first-generation college students

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