The Relationships among High School STEM Learning Experiences and Students’ Intent to Declare and Declaration of a STEM Major in College

2015 ◽  
Vol 117 (3) ◽  
pp. 1-46 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martha Cecilia Bottia ◽  
Elizabeth Stearns ◽  
Roslyn Arlin Mickelson ◽  
Stephanie Moller ◽  
Ashley Dawn Parler
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Learning Experiences ◽  
Academic Preparation ◽  
Stem Learning ◽  
Stem Major ◽  
Stem Career ◽  
K 12 ◽  
The Impact

Background/Context Schools are integral to augmenting and diversifying the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) workforce. This is because K–12 schools can inspire and reinforce students’ interest in STEM, in addition to academically preparing them to pursue a STEM career. Previous literature emphasizes the importance of high-quality STEM academic preparation in high school and the role of informal and formal exposure to STEM as important influences on students’ chances of following a STEM career. Interestingly, although many students decide to major in STEM fields while they are in high school, the majority of the extant literature about why students choose STEM majors primarily focuses on students’ experiences during the college years. Purpose/Objective/Research Question/Focus of Study Through our research, we seek to investigate how learning experiences of inspiration/reinforcement/preparation toward STEM that students have during high school can help explain the stark differences in STEM involvement by gender and ethnicity. We first investigate the importance of high school inspirational/ reinforcing/ preparatory experiences for students’ intent to major in STEM while in high school. We then see how they relate to students’ actual choice of a STEM major. We do this focusing on gender and racial/ethnic differences in outcomes. Specifically, we analyze the impact of the timing of high school STEM courses (algebra, biology, and physics), the quantity of STEM-related classes, and the quality of these courses on students’ decision to pursue a college STEM major. Research Design This is an analysis of quantitative data gathered about members of North Carolina's 2004 high school graduating class who also matriculated to one of the 16 campuses of the University of North Carolina system. Our research developed in two different stages. In the first stage, we utilize multilevel binomial models to examine students’ intent to declare a STEM major in their senior year of high school. In the second stage, we employ multilevel multinomial models to analyze chances of declaring a STEM major during the years 2005–2011, when students are in college. Findings/Results Findings suggest that STEM experiences of inspiration/reinforcement/ preparation during high school interact with demographic variables to moderate students’ interest in STEM. Taking physics and intending to major in STEM during high school are the variables most closely associated with students’ choice of STEM as a major. In addition, taking physics is especially important for young women's odds of declaration of STEM. Conclusions/Recommendations Findings suggest several policy recommendations: Provide a variety of high school learning STEM experiences that will link and augment students’ interest in STEM; change the way physics is presented to female students; utilizing curricula and pedagogy that focus on ways that physics is personally relevant may increase the number of young women who take the course in high school; increase the quality of the STEM-related academic preparation of students; particular attention should be given to underrepresented subgroups of students; increase the offering of math and science-focused program at schools; and increase the availability of more STEM-related co- and extracurricular experiences available to youth.

“We Learn through Our Struggles”: Nuancing Notions of Urban Black Male Academic Preparation for Postsecondary Success

2016 ◽  
Vol 118 (6) ◽  
pp. 1-38
Author(s):  
Chezare A. Warren
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Black Males ◽  
Black Male ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Social Supports ◽  
Young Men ◽  
Academic Preparation ◽  
Postsecondary Success ◽  
The Impact ◽  
College Or University

Background/Context Scholars agree that students’ academic preparation for college begins as early as middle school. This preparation includes both instructional and social supports. The present study draws much-needed attention to how Black males articulate the role and function of their Chicago high school for helping them negotiate the challenges of urban living to both earn admittance to, and graduate from, a four-year college or university. Purpose/Objective/Research Question/Focus of Study Not enough is known about the specific supports most useful for improving urban Black males’ academic preparation to earn a baccalaureate degree from a four-year college or university. A single-sex public high school in Chicago (Nabur) rose to national prominence in 2010 for helping each of its 100% Black male graduates earn admission to college. This study investigates how members of this school's inaugural graduating class on track to graduate from college within 6 years of initial enrollment describe their high school academic experiences, and the impact of these experiences for shaping their college persistence. Exploring the contours of academic preparation through Black male students’ perspectives can be instructive for improving urban school reform efforts aimed at better preparing them for multiple postsecondary options. Population/Participants/Subjects Eighteen Black males—members of Nabur's inaugural graduating class who began at Nabur High School in 2006 and graduated in 2010—were participants in the study. Each of the young men, with the exception of one, attended Nabur all four years of their high school career. The young men self selected participation in the study. Each participant was on track to graduate from college within six years of their initial enrollment at the time of data collection. Research Design The young men participated in one in-depth one-on-one interview. Instructional and social supports—dimensions of academic preparation explored in this study—help to frame analysis and presentation of the findings. Findings/Results Students described teacher availability and academic expectations (instructional supports), as well as community building, social networking, and personal affirmation (social supports) as important aspects of their academic preparation for postsecondary success. Practitioners’ beliefs about Black males’ resilience as a framework for design and implementation of instructional and social supports emerges as most significant to their academic preparation for college. Conclusions/Recommendations Implications and recommendations for repurposing “struggle” as a site of resilience in efforts to better meet the unique needs of urban Black males in preparation for college are discussed.

scholarly journals Quality of care in the free maternal healthcare era in sub-Saharan Africa: a scoping review of providers’ and managers’ perceptions

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Monica Ansu-Mensah ◽  
Frederick Inkum Danquah ◽  
Vitalis Bawontuo ◽  
Peter Ansu-Mensah ◽  
Tahiru Mohammed ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Care ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Poor Quality ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Healthcare Financing ◽  
Maternal Healthcare ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background Free maternal healthcare financing schemes play an essential role in the quality of services rendered to clients during antenatal care in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). However, healthcare managers’ and providers’ perceptions of the healthcare financing scheme may influence the quality of care. This scoping review mapped evidence on managers’ and providers’ perspectives of free maternal healthcare and the quality of care in SSA. Methods We used Askey and O’Malley’s framework as a guide to conduct this review. To address the research question, we searched PubMed, CINAHL through EBSCOhost, ScienceDirect, Web of Science, and Google Scholar with no date limitation to May 2019 using keywords, Boolean terms, and Medical Subject Heading terms to retrieve relevant articles. Both abstract and full articles screening were conducted independently by two reviewers using the inclusion and exclusion criteria as a guide. All significant data were extracted, organized into themes, and a summary of the findings reported narratively. Results In all, 15 out of 390 articles met the inclusion criteria. These 15 studies were conducted in nine countries. That is, Ghana (4), Kenya (3), and Nigeria (2), Burkina Faso (1), Burundi (1), Niger (1), Sierra Leone (1), Tanzania (1), and Uganda (1). Of the 15 included studies, 14 reported poor quality of maternal healthcare from managers’ and providers’ perspectives. Factors contributing to the perception of poor maternal healthcare included: late reimbursement of funds, heavy workload of providers, lack of essential drugs and stock-out of medical supplies, lack of policy definition, out-of-pocket payment, and inequitable distribution of staff. Conclusion This study established evidence of existing literature on the quality of care based on healthcare providers’ and managers’ perspectives though very limited. This study indicates healthcare providers and managers perceive the quality of maternal healthcare under the free financing policy as poor. Nonetheless, the free maternal care policy is very much needed towards achieving universal health, and all efforts to sustain and improve the quality of care under it must be encouraged. Therefore, more research is needed to better understand the impact of their perceived poor quality of care on maternal health outcomes.

scholarly journals Prevalence and quality of life in high school pupils with acne in Serbia

2013 ◽  
Vol 70 (10) ◽  
pp. 935-939 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jelena Peric ◽  
Natasa Maksimovic ◽  
Janko Jankovic ◽  
Biljana Mijovic ◽  
Vesna Reljic ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
High School ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Demographic Questionnaire ◽  
Study Population ◽  
Serbian Version ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Spearman’S Correlation

Background/Aim. Acne is a common problem in adolescent children with considerable emotional and psychological effects. The aim of this study was to determine the self-reported prevalence of acne and to assess its impact on the quality of life in high school pupils in Serbia. Methods. The cross-sectional study was conducted in May 2011 in two medical high schools in Serbia. Only pupils who gave a written informed consent to participate in the study (n = 440) were asked to fill in two questionnaires: short demographic questionnaire and Cardiff Acne Disability Index (CADI), a disease-specific questionnaire measuring disability induced by acne. Internal consistency (tested by Cronbach?s alpha) and item-total score correlations (Spearman's correlation analysis) were used for reliability analyses. Results. The study population consisted of 440 pupils, 281 from Belgrade and 159 from Uzice. Among them 371 (84.3%) were girls and 69 (15.7%) boys, with similar sex distribution in Belgrade and Uzice. The total mean age of pupils was 16.48 years (SD = 0.55). Out of 440 pupils 228 (51.8%) self-reported their acne. The acne prevalence was significantly higher in pupils from Uzice (73.6%) than in those from Belgrade (39.6%). The overall mean CADI score for the whole sample was 2.87 ? 2.74, with the similar quality of life impairment in adolescents from Belgrade and from Uzice. The mean Cronbach?s alpha was 0.82. Conclusion. This study shows that the quality of life impairment due to acne is mild for the majority of the affected pupils. The Serbian version of the CADI is a reliable, valid, and valuable tool for assessing the impact of acne on the quality of life.

scholarly journals KUALITAS PELAYANAN SEKOLAH TTERHADAP KEPUASAN MAHASISWA DAN PENCIPTAAN BRAND IMAGE

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lusiah
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
High School ◽  
Brand Image ◽  
Good Service ◽  
Good Image ◽  
New Students ◽  
The Government ◽  
The Impact

The development of higher education in Indonesia is increasingly evident. It is characterized by many private colleges are spread all over Indonesia. But in recent years the government did not give permission to those who want to establish a college. One reason is the government not only menginginkankan development in terms of quantity alone, but must be accompanied by good quality of any existing college.The number of colleges that exist today is already growing its own competition. The high level of competition among private universities is happening now requires every college has the right strategy to attract the interest of new students. Each college offers the advantages of each. However, not all universities have a particular brand image compared with other universities.One of the determining factors of brand image is the satisfaction of its customers. While satisfaction itself arises as a result of service perceived by the customer.College is not only required to provide a good quality education, but they also must be able to provide good service to students as well. Good service is expected to provide satisfaction for students. Of course in the long term, the impact of satisfaction that will form a good image for the college concerned anyway.STIE IBBI Medan is one of the private high school that has a good image in the city of Medan. However, STIE IBBI still have to further improve the quality of services provided to students. It is necessary to maintain the good image that has been owned STIE IBBI today.The plan of the research will be conducted in STIE IBBI Medan. The population is all students STIE IBBI. The long term goal of this research is to STIE IBBI to increase public confidence in higher education that will take in high school applying good quality excellent service. Expected from the results of this study, STIE IBBI can also implement appropriate marketing strategies to improve the quality of service to students. In addition, the results of this research can be a good reference for prospective new students who will pursue higher education in the STIE IBBI Medan.

scholarly journals Exploring the Relationships Between High School Course Enrollment, Achievement, and First-Semester College GPA

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey M Warren ◽  
Camille L Goins
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Advanced Placement ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Course Enrollment ◽  
Honors Courses ◽  
Grade Point ◽  
First Semester ◽  
College Gpa ◽  
K 12 ◽  
The Impact

This study explored the impact of Advanced Placement and honors course enrollment and high school grade point average (GPA) on first-semester college GPA. Data were collected from 131 college freshmen enrolled at a minority-serving institution who graduated from a public school during the previous academic year. A four-step hierarchical multiple regression analysis indicated that family structure, college status, enrollment in one or more Advanced Placement courses, and enrollment in five or more honors courses accounted for a significant amount of variance explained in first-semester college GPA, both individually and in combination. High school GPA intervened in these variables relationships with first-semester college GPA accounting for a significant amount of variance. Based on these findings, opportunities for future research and implications for K–12 schools and colleges are provided.

scholarly journals COSMIN Risk of Bias tool to assess the quality of studies on reliability or measurement error of outcome measurement instruments: a Delphi study

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
L. B. Mokkink ◽  
M. Boers ◽  
C. P. M. van der Vleuten ◽  
L. M. Bouter ◽  
J. Alonso ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Measurement Error ◽  
Delphi Study ◽  
Outcome Measurement ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Measurement Instrument ◽  
Measurement Properties ◽  
Measurement Instruments ◽  
Sources Of Variation ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background Scores on an outcome measurement instrument depend on the type and settings of the instrument used, how instructions are given to patients, how professionals administer and score the instrument, etc. The impact of all these sources of variation on scores can be assessed in studies on reliability and measurement error, if properly designed and analyzed. The aim of this study was to develop standards to assess the quality of studies on reliability and measurement error of clinician-reported outcome measurement instruments, performance-based outcome measurement instrument, and laboratory values. Methods We conducted a 3-round Delphi study involving 52 panelists. Results Consensus was reached on how a comprehensive research question can be deduced from the design of a reliability study to determine how the results of a study inform us about the quality of the outcome measurement instrument at issue. Consensus was reached on components of outcome measurement instruments, i.e. the potential sources of variation. Next, we reached consensus on standards on design requirements (n = 5), standards on preferred statistical methods for reliability (n = 3) and measurement error (n = 2), and their ratings on a four-point scale. There was one term for a component and one rating of one standard on which no consensus was reached, and therefore required a decision by the steering committee. Conclusion We developed a tool that enables researchers with and without thorough knowledge on measurement properties to assess the quality of a study on reliability and measurement error of outcome measurement instruments.

scholarly journals Valuing the impact of health and social care programs using social return on investment analysis: how have academics advanced the methodology? A systematic review

BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. e029789 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claire Louise Hutchinson ◽  
Angela Berndt ◽  
Deborah Forsythe ◽  
Susan Gilbert-Hunt ◽  
Stacey George ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Return On Investment ◽  
Social Care ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Social Return On Investment ◽  
Health And Social Care ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Impact

ObjectivesTo identify how social return on investment (SROI) analysis—traditionally used by business consultants—has been interpreted, used and innovated by academics in the health and social care sector and to assess the quality of peer-reviewed SROI studies in this sector.DesignSystematic review.SettingsCommunity and residential settings.ParticipantsA wide range of demographic groups and age groups.ResultsThe following databases were searched: Web of Science, Scopus, CINAHL, Econlit, Medline, PsychINFO, Embase, Emerald, Social Care Online and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Limited uptake of SROI methodology by academics was found in the health and social care sector. From 868 papers screened, 8 studies met the criteria for inclusion in this systematic review. Study quality was found to be highly variable, ranging from 38% to 90% based on scores from a purpose-designed quality assessment tool. In general, relatively high consistency and clarity was observed in the reporting of the research question, reasons for using this methodology and justifying the need for the study. However, weaknesses were observed in other areas including justifying stakeholders, reporting sample sizes, undertaking sensitivity analysis and reporting unexpected or negative outcomes. Most papers cited links to additional materials to aid in reporting. There was little evidence that academics had innovated or advanced the methodology beyond that outlined in a much-cited SROI guide.ConclusionAcademics have thus far been slow to adopt SROI methodology in the evaluation of health and social care interventions, and there is little evidence of innovation and development of the methodology. The word count requirements of peer-reviewed journals may make it difficult for authors to be fully transparent about the details of their studies, potentially impacting the quality of reporting in those studies published in these journals.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42018080195.

Financial literacy programs and youth entrepreneurial attitudes: some insights from the Jordanian community

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (5) ◽  
pp. 787-810
Author(s):  
Nour Walid Aljaouni ◽  
Baker Alserhan ◽  
Kimberly Gleason ◽  
Jusuf Zeqiri
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
High School Students ◽  
Financial Literacy ◽  
Literacy Program ◽  
School Students ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Entrepreneurial Attitudes ◽  
Students Attitudes ◽  
K 12 ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the impact of a financial literacy program (FLP) recently implemented in Jordanian junior high and high schools as part of a national financial literacy agenda on students’ attitudes toward entrepreneurship relative to a control sample of students who had not yet participated in the FLP. This paper also examines the role of moderating variables, including students’ perception of teachers’ attitudes (TA) on students’ entrepreneurial attitudes. Design/methodology/approach Survey methodology was used to obtain data and hierarchical regression analysis was used to test hypotheses. Findings Results indicate that students who completed the FLP exhibited significantly higher entrepreneurial awareness than those that had not yet participated in the program. Students who took the entrepreneurship module of the FLP exhibited significantly lower entrepreneurial intention than those that had not yet taken the entrepreneurship module. However, TA did not impact students’ attitudes. Research limitations/implications The study examines a sample of middle and high school students in only one district in Amman, Jordan, and cannot be generalized to other communities where the FLP has been implemented. Practical implications The findings provide valuable insights for educators, policymakers and non-governmental organizations considering large scale, publicly funded FLPs as part of the K-12 educational system. Social implications Stakeholders should consider reforms to the implementation of entrepreneurship education as part of the FLP in Jordanian schools and other developing country K-12 programs. Originality/value This study is the first to examine the new Jordanian literacy program and the impact it has on attitudes toward entrepreneurship of middle and high school students.

Surviving at the Street Level: How Counselors’ Implementation of School Choice Policy Shapes Students’ High School Destinations

2017 ◽  
Vol 91 (1) ◽  
pp. 46-71 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carolyn Sattin-Bajaj ◽  
Jennifer L. Jennings ◽  
Sean P. Corcoran ◽  
Elizabeth Christine Baker-Smith ◽  
Chantal Hailey
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
New York ◽  
School Choice ◽  
Resource Constraints ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Street Level ◽  
School Choice Policy ◽  
K 12 ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Choice Policy

Given the dominance of residentially based school assignment, prior researchers have conceptualized K–12 enrollment decisions as beyond the purview of school actors. This paper questions the continued relevance of this assumption by studying the behavior of guidance counselors charged with implementing New York City’s universal high school choice policy. Drawing on structured interviews with 88 middle school counselors and administrative data on choice outcomes at these middle schools, we find that counselors generally believe lower-income students are on their own in making high school choices and need additional adult support. However, they largely refrain from giving action-guiding advice to students about which schools to attend. We elaborate street-level bureaucracy theory by showing how the majority of counselors reduce cognitive dissonance between their understanding of students’ needs and their inability to meet these needs adequately given existing resources. They do so by drawing selectively on competing policy logics of school choice, narrowly delineating their conception of their role, and relegating decisions to parents. Importantly, we also find departures from the predictions of this theory as approximately one in four counselors sought to meet the needs of individual students by enlarging their role despite the resource constraints they faced. Finally, we quantify the impact of variation in counselors’ approaches, finding that the absence of action-guiding advice is associated with students being admitted to lower-quality schools, on average.

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