A Demographic Shift in College Students: A Preparatory Guide for Political Scientists and the Discipline

Mapping Intimacies ◽

10.5772/intechopen.98804 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

John R. Hermann

Keyword(s):

College Students ◽

Political Science ◽

First Generation ◽

Underrepresented Students ◽

College Campuses ◽

Demographic Shift ◽

Science Faculty ◽

Science Courses ◽

Changing Demographics ◽

United States Higher Education

As United States higher education moves from the gilded age to a more challenging one, this research examines how the changing demographics of American college students should influence how political science faculty teach their classes. With more first-generation, underrepresented students (FGUS) on college campuses, the study offers five best practices to improve student success for political science faculty. Additionally, the research proposes that the content in political science courses should reflect the changing demographics of our students – both in revising our existing courses and offering new ones. Finally, diversification of faculty in political science is vital when teaching students of underrepresented groups.

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Write On! Strategies for the Overburdened Instructor

Political Science Teacher ◽

10.1017/s0896082800000714 ◽

1989 ◽

Vol 2 (3) ◽

pp. 15-16

Author(s):

Eugene J. Cornacchia

Keyword(s):

College Students ◽

Political Science ◽

The Political ◽

Specific Question ◽

Science Courses ◽

Political World ◽

Political Events ◽

Course Material ◽

Science Instructors ◽

Prior Experiences

Many political science instructors often look for ways to increase the amount of writing in their courses without over-burdening either themselves or their students. The following practical suggestions, none particularly new or innovative, are nonetheless useful for including more writing in undergraduate political science courses. I have successfully used these assignments for several years and they are generally enthusiastically received by students.The underlying theory in my approach is that students are better able to cope with writing when the assignments are briefer and varied, though more frequent. Furthermore, it may be more productive to focus on what students are saying rather than on how they say it (MacAllister, 1982; Sommers, 1982). Adopting such an approach is not to advocate grammatical anarchy. Rather, it recognizes that good, grammatically correct, effective writing must be taught to college students in a manner that is sensitive to their prior experiences and capabilities.A journal is much like a diary (Fulwiler, 1987). In it, students record their thoughts, observations, and feelings about the political world or specific course material. Students may be asked to write about questions or problems they discover in their readings, current political events, or they may be asked to reflect on issues or questions raised in class. The instructor can pose a specific question, or students may be permitted to write about anything (political) they choose.

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Science That Matters: The Importance of a Cultural Connection in Underrepresented Students’ Science Pursuit

CBE—Life Sciences Education ◽

10.1187/cbe.16-01-0067 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 15 (3) ◽

pp. ar42 ◽

Cited By ~ 21

Author(s):

Matthew C. Jackson ◽

Gino Galvez ◽

Isidro Landa ◽

Paul Buonora ◽

Dustin B. Thoman

Keyword(s):

College Students ◽

First Generation ◽

Underrepresented Students ◽

First Generation College Students ◽

Generational Status ◽

Underrepresented Minority ◽

The Status ◽

First Generation College ◽

Culturally Connected ◽

Science Major

Recent research suggests that underrepresented minority (URM) college students, and especially first-generation URMs, may lose motivation to persist if they see science careers as unable to fulfill culturally relevant career goals. In the present study, we used a mixed-methods approach to explore patterns of motivation to pursue physical and life sciences across ethnic groups of freshman college students, as moderated by generational status. Results from a longitudinal survey (N = 249) demonstrated that freshman URM students who enter with a greater belief that science can be used to help their communities identified as scientists more strongly over time, but only among first-generation college students. Analysis of the survey data were consistent with content analysis of 11 transcripts from simultaneously conducted focus groups (N = 67); together, these studies reveal important differences in motivational characteristics both across and within ethnicity across educational generation status. First-generation URM students held the strongest prosocial values for pursuing a science major (e.g., giving back to the community). URM students broadly reported additional motivation to increase the status of their family (e.g., fulfilling aspirations for a better life). These findings demonstrate the importance of culturally connected career motives and for examining intersectional identities to understand science education choices and inform efforts to broaden participation.

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