Theses and Dissertations at Montana State University (MSU)
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://scholarworks.montana.edu/handle/1/733
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Item Enhancing students' engineering identities and attitudes towards engineering and technology through place-conscious engineering activities(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Education, Health & Human Development, 2024) Moonga, Miracle; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Rebekah Hammack; Nick Lux (co-chair)Students' engineering identities and attitudes toward engineering are important because they can determine if students will pursue engineering careers. However, a dearth of research focuses on how participating in place-conscious engineering affects students' engineering identities and attitudes towards engineering and technology. This explanatory sequential mixed methods study investigated the effect of engaging elementary students in place-conscious engineering activities on their engineering identities and attitudes towards engineering and technology. Students completed two place-conscious engineering activities: (1) following a local wildfire, students designed and built air filters to prevent smoke from entering the homes of affected families residing in a nearby community, and (2) after the state issued several warnings about eminent floods due to ice-jams on a local river, students designed flood prevention strategies. Quantitative data about students' engineering identities were collected using pre and post surveys of the two subscales of the Engineering Identity Development Scale (EIDS): (1) academic subscale and (2) engineering career subscale. Quantitative data regarding students' attitudes toward engineering and technology were collected using pre and post surveys of the engineering and technology subscale of the Students' Attitudes Toward Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (S-STEM). Finally, to explain the trends observed in the quantitative data, qualitative data were collected through semi-structured focus group interviews. Findings suggested that students' academic identities and attitudes towards engineering and technology improved as a result of participating in place-conscious engineering activities. The study recommends exposing elementary students to place-conscious engineering activities to improve their engineering identities and attitudes towards engineering and technology.Item Intersectional identity: factors impacting student odds of first semester STEM major declaration(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Education, Health & Human Development, 2023) Jacobs, Jonathan Daniel; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Lauren DavisThough there is a large amount of literature on those who graduate from college with STEM degrees, there is a dearth of literature involving intersectional identity of college freshman who are considering entering STEM majors. This study seeks to begin the process of meeting the gaps in research. Data from the High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (HSLS:2009) were analyzed using logistic regression; using listwise deletion, intersectional identities which impact odds of student declaring a STEM major were identified. Student race and ethnicity, student sex, student socio-economic status, teacher race and ethnicity, teacher sex, science utility, science interest, science self-efficacy, and science identity were the components of intersectional identity for this study. Student race, student socio-economic status, science self-efficacy, and science identity were statistically significant factors that increased student odds of entering college with as STEM degree (p<0.001). Students who were Asian had a statistically significant increase in odds over White students to enter college with a STEM degree. All other aspects of identity were not statistically significant. More research is needed in this field to gain a deeper understanding of how intersectional identity impacts a students' odds of declaring a STEM majors their first semester in college.Item STEM major choice: high school and collegiate factors(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Education, Health & Human Development, 2022) Tran, Que Nguyet; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Tricia SeifertA huge present and future workforce demand exists in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields. Bolstered by a number of US policies and research that associates STEM majors with pursuing STEM careers, higher education institutions have aimed to support students to major in STEM fields in an effort to meet the needs of the STEM workforce. Despite these postsecondary efforts, the challenge begins in earlier levels of schooling with a shortage of licensed and highly qualified science and math teachers nationwide. Although many studies have examined math and science expectancy values and self-efficacy among high school students to predict their intention to major in STEM major choice, few have investigated both high school and college level variables to understand student STEM major choice declared in their third college year. Thus, this study fills the gap using the most recent STEM-focused national representative survey data -- High School Longitudinal Study 2009 (HSLS:09). Three research questions are: (i) To what extent do high school math and science motivation and self-efficacy, collegiate factors, and personal circumstances promote or hinder students' STEM major choice, controlling for student background characteristics? ; (ii) To what extent do collegiate factors and personal circumstances predict the probability of STEM major choice, controlling for student background characteristics? (iii) What factors predict college STEM GPA? This study employs theories of Situative expectancy value theory and Social cognitive career theory to develop a conceptual framework. Logistic regression was used to analyze the first two questions, and linear regression used for the third question. The first research question found gender, math attainment value, science attainment value, college STEM credits earned, and STEM GPA are predictive of the probability of STEM major choice. In the second research question, among college-period variables, gender, college STEM credits earned, and STEM GPA are predictors of STEM major choice. The third research question found race, social economic status, faculty research participation, career services on campus used, work schedule and academic performance interference, and disability are predictors of the average STEM GPA. Implications for theory, research, and practice are discussed.Item In their own words and actions: a case study of STEM interest among rural youth in an informal program(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Education, Health & Human Development, 2021) Westbrook, Elaine Marie; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Jayne DowneyIn order to develop science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) knowledge and solutions that address global concerns, there is a need to develop pathways to strengthen STEM interest among rural youth, especially girls. Previous research suggests that informal STEM programs can stimulate participant interest due to the absence of pressures from external assessment (Rogoff, et al, 2016). However, little is known about which instructional methods in an informal STEM program focused on place-conscious programming in a rural community will support the development of youth STEM interest. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of three instructional methods (hands-on, role models, and culminating projects) on STEM interest development for rural youth, ages eight to twelve, in an informal place-conscious STEM program. Data were collected through observations, focus group interviews, and STEM interest surveys. Participants included youth (N=26) in grades 3rd through 5th grades attending two local schools in one rural community. Results indicated STEM interest increased through collaborative work, new knowledge, and action research. Results also showed gender differences in STEM interest development. Girls' STEM interest was heightened through seeing the personal relevance to their community, whereas boys' STEM interest was heightened through actively working together. This study contributes to the empirical literature regarding STEM interest, informal education, and instructional methods for rural youth. Recommendations are made for future studies.Item Socialization experiences of STEM international graduate students at American public research universities: a multivariate analysis(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Education, Health & Human Development, 2019) Johnson, Catherine Mary; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Carrie B. MyersSTEM international graduate students encounter unique challenges at American public research universities. One of these challenges relates to the cultural isolation international graduate students face as they traverse American higher education (Lee & Rice, 2007). Factors found influential to international students' persistence include the faculty advisor and advisee relationship (Rice et al., 2009), peer interactions (Rose- Redwood & Rose-Redwood, 2013), and identity formation (Gomes & Tran, 2017; Phelps, 2016). As a multiple regression study, the research questions were designed to determine the extent international graduate students' faculty mentor and peer relationships, cultural congruity, and identity prominence influence intercultural relevancy as parts of the socialization process (Kuh & Love, 2001; Museus & Quaye, 2009). Over a thousand international graduate students from 12 research universities participated in the Graduate Student Experiences survey; an NSF funded Alliances for Graduate Education and the Professoriate project. The final analytical sample (n = 953) was analyzed using ordinary least squares regression. The first set of results indicated that mentor's cultural support, peer interactions, social and professional identity prominence had significant positive effects on international graduate students' cultural integrity in STEM. The second set of models indicated that mentors' cultural support, peer interactions, cultural congruity, social and professional identity prominence were positively associated with levels of international graduate students' connections with cultural representatives. These findings suggest faculty mentor's cultural support, peer interactions, social and professional identity are important for developing intercultural relevancy within international graduate students at American public research universities. More importantly, students' perceptions of intercultural relevancy differ across groups. This study contributes to the research on graduate education in several ways. First this study provides a quantitative look at international graduates' experiences in the U.S. The contribution of this study is the use of data from a nationally administered graduate student experiences survey at 12 institutions that included newly developed measures of intercultural relevancy in STEM, identity prominence, and mentor interaction. Measures of intercultural effort provide another way to interpret graduate student socialization. The empirical findings add to the growing body of literature on graduate education, international students.Item Cultivating genius: an exploratory case study of the genius hour instructional technique and its effect on the identity and self-efficacy of high school science students(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Education, Health & Human Development, 2017) Reuer, Marcia Diane; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Nick LuxGenius Hour, a project-based instructional technique that promotes learner autonomy, has developed a dedicated following among teachers. However, despite the widespread enthusiasm about Genius Hour in the K-12 classroom, little to no empirical evidence exists on the effectiveness of the approach. To respond to this gap in the research, a longitudinal exploratory case study was implemented to better understand the practices of Genius Hour in a high school STEM environment. Of particular interest for this investigation was the influence of Genius Hour on students' identities and self-efficacy and in particular, on science identity and science self-efficacy. A two-year, longitudinal, mixed methods, exploratory case study spanning two years was performed that focused on high school freshmen (n=136) and their participating classroom teacher. Data sources included self-report surveys regarding identity and self-efficacy, as well as whole group interviews, individual interviews and small group interviews. Quantative data was analyzed using a paired t-test and normalized gains and effect size, while qualitative data was analyzed using emergent thematic analysis. Quantitative measures indicated the Genius Hour instructional technique increased students' belief in their scientific ability based on pre and post survey data, however, the effect size was small. Additionally, students had statistically significant gains in the Next Generation Science Standards Science and Engineering Practices (National Research Council, 2016) of asking questions and defining problems and analyzing and interpreting data. While quantitative analyses did not yield any significant results to suggest influence of Genius Hour on identity, there were substantial qualitative results to suggest participation in Genius Hour developed students' identities and in particular, their science identities.Item The influence of the High school students United with NASA to Create Hardware (HUNCH) program on student motivation to study and pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Education, Health & Human Development, 2011) Gold, Florence Ray; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Arthur W. BangertIn today's society of global economic competition, environmental concerns, and the race to explore outer space, the study of mathematics and science has reached the forefront of educational goals around the world. The gap between the number of STEM professionals in the United States and other countries is closing. To address this occurrence, private organizations, businesses, and government agencies are teaming up with schools to promote the study of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) courses. This research investigates the High School Students United with NASA to Create Hardware (HUNCH) program, an innovative school-based partnership between public schools and NASA, with the educational goal of motivating students to study and pursue careers in STEM areas. To evaluate the HUNCH program, this research takes a mixed-method approach that collects data quantitatively from an analysis of student responses on a Student Interests and Motivation in Science Questionnaire (SIMSQ) and qualitatively from an analysis of focus groups and individual student interviews of HUNCH participants. This research answers the following questions: (1) How do students who participate in HUNCH programs perceive STEM HUNCH courses and other STEM courses? (2) How do students who participate in HUNCH programs perceive STEM related careers? (3) What learning experiences do HUNCH students describe as motivating them toward pursuing courses and careers in STEM areas? (4) Do students who have fewer than two semesters in HUNCH perceive STEM courses and careers differently than students who have participated in three or more semesters in HUNCH? By investigating the HUNCH program, this research helps to identify the benefits of secondary schools teaming up with professional organizations, such as NASA, with the hope of encouraging and influencing the creation of new innovative school-based partnerships.