Becoming Scientists: Practices in Undergraduate Education that Contribute to Degree Completion and Advanced Study in STEM Disciplines

University Of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles CA

Investigators

Abstract

This Type 2 project intends to collect survey data about college student progression toward degrees in science and engineering fields. The researchers are examining differences in student to student attributes and educational practices in undergraduate courses that are related to student decisions to continue study in STEM fields. The study uses a national sample of 2004 students as a baseline and follows these students up to 6 years after college entry. This project extends a similar analysis on health issues separately supported by NIH. The associations that will emerge from this analysis of students in 680 4-year colleges are intended to advise other researchers and the STEM community about institutional, classroom, and student practices that appear to be related to improving student performance in college STEM classes. One particular question is an analysis of programs that assist students in overcoming racial isolation in the STEM fields. This project provides new empirical and descriptive information about the conditions that are correlated with choosing careers in science and technology fields of today's undergraduate students. The researchers are situating their study within other known studies of student progression toward a degree in science and technology fields.