Fine-Tuning Summer Research Programs to Promote Underrepresented Students’ Persistence in the STEM Pathway

Ghee, Medeva; Keels, Micere; Collins, D. L.; Neal-Spence, Cynthia; Baker, Earnestine

doi:10.1187/cbe.16-01-0046

Cited by 48 publications

(50 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…A mentor's impact on both undergraduates' and high school students' intentions to persist in their education and engage in STEM careers has been well documented (Eagan et al, 2013;Ghee et al, 2016;Linn et al, 2015;Weston and Laursen, 2015;Wang, 2013). Representative of the literature is a meta-study by Adedokun et al (2013).…”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Benefits of a Near-Peer Mentoring Experience on STEM Persistence in Education and Careers: A 2004-2015 Study

Anderson

Tenenbaum

et al. 2019

JSTEM

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This retrospective study, from 2004 to 2015, explored the career trajectories of undergraduates and recent post-baccalaureates who participated in an undergraduate research experience (URE) that combined both laboratory experience and mentoring younger students. Forty former interns completed an online survey focusing on their path from internship to career. Interns were queried about the skills they perceived as being critical in their subsequent STEM-related endeavors. They also wrote narratives that indicated their attitudes about STEM education, outreach and mentoring. The responses showed all but one of the 40 participants were engaged in either STEM-related careers or education. The participants provided examples of what aspects of the internship had long-term impact on their persistence in the sciences. As the majority of the respondents were from populations traditionally underrepresented in STEM careers, this study adds to the literature on the positive effect of internships on individual STEM persistence. The results indicated that this internship helped create a cadre of professionals who not only persisted in STEM but also retained an active commitment to helping younger students gain an appreciation for science. It was concluded that undergraduate persistence in the sciences is strengthened when interns are given training in and the responsibility for mentoring.

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Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Benefits of a Near-Peer Mentoring Experience on STEM Persistence in Education and Careers: A 2004-2015 Study

Anderson

Tenenbaum

et al. 2019

JSTEM

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“…One line of empirical investigations of the gap have emphasized a number of potential causes for the gender gap related to how girls engage with science (Brotman & Moore, ): (i) equity and access (i.e., reduced access for women) (Carlone, ); (ii) curriculum and pedagogy (i.e., biased curricula or instructional support for women) (Hughes, ); (iii) the culture of science (i.e., exclusionary of women or their needs) (Legewie & DiPrete, ; Moss‐Racusin & Dovidio, ); and (iv) identity (i.e., women are less likely to find female role models and culturally the stereotype of scientists represents a white male) (Archer et al, ). A second line has emphasized motivational factors as a source of gender differences in science (Ghee, Keels, Collins, Neal‐Spence, & Baker, ; Webb‐Williams, ). These two different literatures (one of opportunity and another of motivation) rarely speak to one another but that together could provide better theoretical leverage for understanding the gender gap in STEM domains: how motivations shape opportunities to develop abilities and knowledge.…”

Section: The Central Role Of Science Competency Beliefs In Self‐regulmentioning

confidence: 99%

The increasingly important role of science competency beliefs for science learning in girls

Vincent‐Ruz

Schunn

2017

J Res Sci Teach

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The number of women studying STEM careers and pursuing graduate degrees has not changed in the last decade (National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, 2015; Science & Engineering Degree Attainment: 2004-2014. Most prior research to explain this problem has focused on the topics of identity, access, pedagogy, and choice (Brotman & Moore, 2008; Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 45, 971-1002). Additional research is needed on how internal and external factors interact with one another to demotivate girls and young women from pursuing science careers. Here, we show how girls' competency beliefs are an essential foundation for science content learning during middle school and how these effects of competency beliefs are mediated by in and out-of-school factors. We recruited over 2,900 6th and 8th grade students from two different regions in the United States. At two different time points, students completed surveys asking about their stance toward science such as competency beliefs in science, willingness to engage in argumentation, and choice preferences toward optional science experiences. We also collected a reasoning ability measure, and pre-and post-tests on science content knowledge. Moreover, students also reported on their cognitive behavioral engagement during a sampled science class on two separate occasions. Multiple regression and mediation analyses show that as boys grow older, their willingness to engage in argumentation and to participate in science experiences suppresses the role of competency beliefs on their learning science content. By contrast, as girls grew older, they showed an increasing need to have high competency beliefs to achieve strong content learning gains. Our results demonstrate that despite girls' willingness to participate in scientific argumentation and to take part in science experiences, they probably do not receive enough support in their environment to access the benefits of these experiences, and hence they have a stronger need to have high competency beliefs in order to achieve significant growth in science learning. #

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“…While prior studies document powerful influence of mentors on research career intent of students [23,25,34,54], mentors and graduate students served as a surprisingly discouraging source for advice and guidance for students in our study. The mentors were either senior graduate students or post-doctoral fellows in the laboratories of the principal investigator and were not selected to be of the same gender and/or racial/ethnic background as the mentee in our study.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 93%

“…Program variables intrinsic to the research experience itself, such as the mentor-mentee relationship, nature of the project, and duration of research, also influence student outcomes [25]. In addition to program variables, several personal variables, such as support from family and peers, race/ethnicity, and gender, might modulate the benefits of research experience for youth from URGs.…”

Section: Variables Influencing Outcomes Of Research Experiences For Mmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biomedical career enrichment programs: Exploring women and minority participants’ motivators and outcomes

2020

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Limited empirical data exists on why women and minority students enter Biomedical Career Enrichment Programs (BCEPs) and how program variables-such as duration of research-influence their intention to pursue research careers. This exploratory study reports motivators for participation in BCEPs among women and racial/ethnic minority students-historically underrepresented groups-and the influence of program and personal variables on their research-career intent and self-efficacy beliefs. We studied the program variables of research experience, research duration, and mentor influence; and the personal variables of race, gender, family, and peers. Using the conceptual framework of planned behavior theory and social cognitive career theory, we interviewed students from underrepresented groups participating in BCEPs that offered research experience for short duration (Group A), long duration (Group B), and no research experience (Group C). We utilized Atlas Ti, a qualitative methodological software tool, to analyze the interview responses. Students choosing a BCEP with research experience cited "opportunity to gain experience" and "interest or curiosity in research" as motivators. Duration of research experience had a positive relationship with enhancement in research skills and self-efficacy beliefs, but did not change the initial research-career intent of these BCEP participants. The study revealed an interesting and unexpected theme of "perceived deterrents" to a career in research that included stress of competition (e.g. grants), the instability of projects, and the isolation of scientific research. Importantly, the study findings indicate the need to reform program design and science policies that challenge the current biomedical workforce and dissuade interested students from underrepresented groups from entering the field.

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Fine-Tuning Summer Research Programs to Promote Underrepresented Students’ Persistence in the STEM Pathway

Cited by 48 publications

References 11 publications

The Benefits of a Near-Peer Mentoring Experience on STEM Persistence in Education and Careers: A 2004-2015 Study

The Benefits of a Near-Peer Mentoring Experience on STEM Persistence in Education and Careers: A 2004-2015 Study

The increasingly important role of science competency beliefs for science learning in girls

Biomedical career enrichment programs: Exploring women and minority participants’ motivators and outcomes

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