The Importance of Community Colleges in Students’ Choice to Major in STEM

Bottía, Martha Cecilia; Stearns, Elizabeth; Mickelson, Roslyn Arlin; Möller, Stephanie; Jamil, Cayce

doi:10.1080/00221546.2020.1742032

Cited by 6 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 50 publications

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“…Third, our synthesis includes literature about the role of 2-year postsecondary institutions in these STEM outcomes. The inclusion of research on community colleges is an important advance in our understanding of the pathways to a baccalaureate degree given that community colleges serve close to 40% of the undergraduate students in the United States and they are an important route to STEM (Bottia et al, 2020; Tsapogas, 2004).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Factors Associated With College STEM Participation of Racially Minoritized Students: A Synthesis of Research

Bottía¹,

Mickelson²,

Jamil

et al. 2021

Review of Educational Research

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Racially minoritized students in the United States constitute 30% of the U.S. population, but students from these populations represent a smaller proportion of those who earn science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) undergraduate degrees. This disproportionality contributes to race/ethnic income, status, and power inequalities linked to STEM careers. Using a combination of vote counting and narrative approaches, the authors synthesize 50 recent articles about the factors related to college students’ STEM participation. Consistent with cumulative disadvantage and critical race theories, findings reveal that the disproportionality of racially minoritized students in STEM is related to their inferior secondary school preparation; the presence of racialized lower quality educational contexts; reduced levels of psychosocial factors associated with STEM success; less exposure to inclusive and appealing curricula and instruction; lower levels of family social, cultural, and financial capital that foster academic outcomes; and fewer prospects for supplemental STEM learning opportunities. Policy implications of findings are discussed.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Factors Associated With College STEM Participation of Racially Minoritized Students: A Synthesis of Research

Bottía¹,

Mickelson²,

Jamil

et al. 2021

Review of Educational Research

Self Cite

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“…Students' personal approaches and visions originate from the moment they start university. The customs or beliefs of virtual education are not like face-to-face education according to the student body (Bottia, et al, 2020). University education has always tried to do its best, but inevitably students must join courses where they must reinforce and really learn the contents.…”

Section: The Educational Perception Of the College Studentmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…University education has always tried to do its best, but inevitably students must join courses where they must reinforce and really learn the contents. Sometimes students only study to pass tests (Bottia, et al, 2020). fortunately students pay special and due attention to their participation in and organization of university education only at the end of their studies.…”

Section: The Educational Perception Of the College Studentmentioning

confidence: 99%

The university teacher: Catalyst of the emotional-technological-ontological logic in the teaching of exact sciences

Velazco¹,

Francisca²,

Víctor³

et al. 2021

S. F. J. of Dev.

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The aim of the study was to design a theoretical approach to the existing techno-ontological logical emotions of university mathematics teachers working in universities in Ecuador. The research was qualitative. For the selection of the sample, a random selection was carried out under the criterion of intentionality. Twenty (20) students and eight (8) mathematics teachers from different universities participated. For data collection, we used a participatory digital observation guide and an open-ended interview. Three categories emerged from the results: the andragogic retrotopia of being a mathematician, the emotional scar in teacher training and the educational perception of the university student. We conclude with a theoretical approach in which the deficit of professional digital training in mathematical sciences allows the emotional logic of the Ecuadorian teacher to drive him/her to portray an academic being that generates hatred and rejection in the university educational community.

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“…High percentages of Black, Latinx, and American Indian and Alaska Native students seeking undergraduate degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) enter higher education in community colleges (Wang, 2013a). In addition, community college attendance has itself been found to have a positive effect among female and low-income students on declaring and graduating with a STEM major (Bottia et al, 2020; Hu & Ortagus, 2019). Yet, overall transfer and bachelor’s degree completion rates for community college students remain low, roughly 30% and 14%, respectively, with completion rates for racially and ethnically minoritized and low-income students only half that of their more privileged peers (Jenkins & Fink, 2016; Shapiro et al, 2017).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Navigating STEM Major and Transfer Destination Choices: Community College Student Experiences through the Lens of Practice Theory

Zahner

2023

Community College Review

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Objective/Research Question: This research explores how community college students, who are underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields and aspire to vertical transfer in STEM make choices about majors and transfer destinations. The question is important to advancing equity in STEM, which continues to perpetuate disparities in attainment for minoritized, first-generation, and financially disadvantaged students, who disproportionately enter higher education in community colleges. Methods: Using a longitudinal, qualitative research design, the study relied on semi-structured interviewing to generate in-depth evidence about student experiences. Results: Findings showed that career goals were uniformly influential to students, yet career information was unevenly available or comprehensible during community college. Students’ choices about what to major in and where to transfer were iterative and intertwined, with these choices deeply connected to students’ families and lifetime priorities. Delays in student decision-making tended to have less to do with uncertain individual preferences than to lack of information about a specific STEM major and its alignment with possible future degrees, transfer destinations, and career pathways, as well as contingencies associated with the transfer admission process. Conclusions/Contributions: This research demonstrated STEM-specific nuance in how underrepresented community college students navigate major, career, and transfer destination decision-making as well as the influence of family and location-based priorities in student choices. Future research should investigate how to best provide directional support for students’ major and transfer destination decisions, including major-to-career awareness and the academic and personal dimensions of transfer.

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The Importance of Community Colleges in Students’ Choice to Major in STEM

Cited by 6 publications

References 50 publications

Factors Associated With College STEM Participation of Racially Minoritized Students: A Synthesis of Research

Factors Associated With College STEM Participation of Racially Minoritized Students: A Synthesis of Research

The university teacher: Catalyst of the emotional-technological-ontological logic in the teaching of exact sciences

Navigating STEM Major and Transfer Destination Choices: Community College Student Experiences through the Lens of Practice Theory

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