Improving STEM Career Aspirations in Underrepresented Populations

2021 ◽  
pp. 230-251
Author(s):  
Amanda J. Rockinson-Szapkiw ◽  
Logan R. Caldwell
Keyword(s):  
School Counselors ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Career Aspirations ◽  
The United States ◽  
Professional School ◽  
Urban Teachers ◽  
Stem Careers ◽  
Underrepresented Populations ◽  
Stem Career ◽  
Stem Career Aspirations

The United States preK-12 educational system is uniquely positioned to assist elementary students, especially girls and minorities, in experiencing achievement and developing a self-efficacy in STEM, and consequently producing students who pursue STEM degrees in college and STEM careers. Thus, this chapter uses Gottfredson's Theory of Circumscription and Compromise and Bandura's concept of self-efficacy to identify barriers to STEM career aspirations that girls and minorities face in urban settings. These theories and research are also used to identify strategies for urban teachers and professional school counselors to improve elementary girls and minorities' STEM career aspiration.

Improving STEM Career Aspirations in Underrepresented Populations

2019 ◽  
pp. 208-237
Author(s):  
Amanda J. Rockinson-Szapkiw ◽  
Logan R. Caldwell
Keyword(s):  
School Counselors ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Career Aspirations ◽  
The United States ◽  
Professional School ◽  
Urban Teachers ◽  
Stem Careers ◽  
Underrepresented Populations ◽  
Stem Career ◽  
Stem Career Aspirations

The United States preK-12 educational system is uniquely positioned to assist elementary students, especially girls and minorities, in experiencing achievement and developing a self-efficacy in STEM, and consequently producing students who pursue STEM degrees in college and STEM careers. Thus, this chapter uses Gottfredson's Theory of Circumscription and Compromise and Bandura's concept of self-efficacy to identify barriers to STEM career aspirations that girls and minorities face in urban settings. These theories and research are also used to identify strategies for urban teachers and professional school counselors to improve elementary girls and minorities' STEM career aspiration.

How do rural Australian students’ ethnogeographies related to people and place influence their STEM career aspirations?

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-18
Author(s):  
Reece Mills ◽  
Laura Scholes ◽  
Garth Stahl ◽  
Sarah McDonald ◽  
Barbara Comber ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Career Aspirations ◽  
Stem Career ◽  
Stem Career Aspirations

scholarly journals Utility-value intervention with parents increases students’ STEM preparation and career pursuit

2017 ◽  
Vol 114 (5) ◽  
pp. 909-914 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher S. Rozek ◽  
Ryan C. Svoboda ◽  
Judith M. Harackiewicz ◽  
Chris S. Hulleman ◽  
Janet S. Hyde
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
High School ◽  
Science Achievement ◽  
Standardized Test ◽  
The United States ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Stem Careers ◽  
Stem Career ◽  
Career Pursuit ◽  
Mathematics And Science

During high school, developing competence in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) is critically important as preparation to pursue STEM careers, yet students in the United States lag behind other countries, ranking 35th in mathematics and 27th in science achievement internationally. Given the importance of STEM careers as drivers of modern economies, this deficiency in preparation for STEM careers threatens the United States’ continued economic progress. In the present study, we evaluated the long-term effects of a theory-based intervention designed to help parents convey the importance of mathematics and science courses to their high-school–aged children. A prior report on this intervention showed that it promoted STEM course-taking in high school; in the current follow-up study, we found that the intervention improved mathematics and science standardized test scores on a college preparatory examination (ACT) for adolescents by 12 percentile points. Greater high-school STEM preparation (STEM course-taking and ACT scores) was associated with increased STEM career pursuit (i.e., STEM career interest, the number of college STEM courses, and students’ attitudes toward STEM) 5 y after the intervention. These results suggest that the intervention can affect STEM career pursuit indirectly by increasing high-school STEM preparation. This finding underscores the importance of targeting high-school STEM preparation to increase STEM career pursuit. Overall, these findings demonstrate that a motivational intervention with parents can have important effects on STEM preparation in high school, as well as downstream effects on STEM career pursuit 5 y later.

The School Counselor and STEM Career Development

2016 ◽  
Vol 44 (4) ◽  
pp. 359-374 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lia D. Falco
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Career Development ◽  
School Counselors ◽  
School Counselor ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Underrepresented Students ◽  
The United States ◽  
Effective Interventions ◽  
Stem Career Development ◽  
Stem Career

There is an increasing concern that the demand for science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) workers in the United States will exceed the supply. In the United States, very few students, and underrepresented students in particular, are pursuing STEM educational and occupational goals that underscores the need for school counselors to understand how to maximize opportunities for student success in STEM. Understanding the factors that influence students’ academic and career choices early on is necessary in order to provide effective interventions and responsive services that will have a positive impact on students’ future STEM career outcomes. Using social-cognitive career theory as a framework, this article synthesizes pertinent research on student STEM engagement, so that school counselors will be better able to support STEM career development for all students, especially those from historically underrepresented groups. Implications for school counseling practice are discussed.

Professional School Counselors Using Choice Theory to Meet the Needs of Children of Prisoners

2008 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 2156759X0801200
Author(s):  
M. Ann Shillingford ◽  
Oliver W. Edwards
Keyword(s):  
School Counselors ◽  
Choice Theory ◽  
Prison Population ◽  
The United States ◽  
Professional School ◽  
Social Challenges ◽  
Children Of Prisoners ◽  
Professional School Counselors ◽  
Effective Use

The prison population in the United States has increased significantly. Children of prisoners experience academic and social challenges. Professional school counselors are in an ideal position to provide theory-based interventions to support children of prisoners. This article (a) describes challenges experienced by children of prisoners, (b) advances choice theory as a theoretical framework to meet their needs, and (c) describes a case study that details the effective use of choice theory with children of prisoners.

scholarly journals Helping and Hindering Undergraduate Women’s STEM Motivation: Experiences With STEM Encouragement, STEM-Related Gender Bias, and Sexual Harassment

2018 ◽  
Vol 43 (2) ◽  
pp. 165-183 ◽  
Author(s):  
Campbell Leaper ◽  
Christine R. Starr
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Harassment ◽  
Gender Bias ◽  
Career Aspirations ◽  
Grade Point ◽  
Domain Specific ◽  
Undergraduate Women ◽  
Specific Effects ◽  
Competence Beliefs ◽  
Stem Career ◽  
Stem Career Aspirations

Prior research indicates many women either leave or pursue science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) degrees because the social climate undermined or strengthened their motivation and career aspirations. We investigated whether women’s experiences of sexual harassment and STEM-related gender bias negatively predicted their STEM motivation (task value, competence beliefs, and perceived costs) and STEM career aspirations. We also tested whether STEM encouragement from friends and family positively predicted motivation and aspirations. To consider domain-specific effects, we also tested the predictors in relation to non-STEM motivation and career aspirations. Students’ grade point average was controlled in all analyses. The sample was undergraduate women enrolled in gateway biology courses for majors ( N = 685; M = 19.67 years of age; 35% Asian, 31% White, and 27% Latinx). A majority experienced gender bias (60.9%) or sexual harassment (78.1%) at least once in the past year. STEM-related gender bias from classmates and sexual harassment from instructors (faculty, teaching assistants, or graduate students) were negatively related to STEM motivation and career aspirations. Perceived STEM encouragement from friends was positively related to motivation, and STEM encouragement from friends and family predicted STEM career aspirations. Finally, domain-specific effects were indicated. Our research highlights the need for programs that increase awareness of discrimination, combat bias and harassment, and affirm students’ STEM interest. Additional online materials for this article are available on PWQ's website at https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/suppl/10.1177/0361684318806302

scholarly journals School Counselors Walking the Walk and Talking the Talk: A Grounded Theory of Effective Program Implementation

2008 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 2156759X0801100
Author(s):  
Janna L. Scarborough ◽  
Melissa Luke
Keyword(s):  
Grounded Theory ◽  
School Counseling ◽  
School Counselors ◽  
Program Implementation ◽  
School Counselor ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
The United States ◽  
Professional School ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Effective Program

Comprehensive, developmental school counseling programming has been associated with numerous benefits for students and is considered current best practice. A qualitative, grounded theory study was conducted to investigate eight professional school counselors employed across grade level, geographic setting, and region within the United States. This article presents this research and the emergent model for successful comprehensive, developmental school counseling program implementation. Implications for school counselor education and practice, as well as future research, are discussed.

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