Utility-value intervention promotes persistence and diversity in STEM-Reference-Cited by-同舟云学术

Utility-value intervention promotes persistence and diversity in STEM

Published:2023-05 Issue:19 Volume:120 Page:
ISSN:0027-8424
Container-title:Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
language:en
Short-container-title:Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

Author:

Asher Michael W.¹^ORCID,Harackiewicz Judith M.¹^ORCID,Beymer Patrick N.²^ORCID,Hecht Cameron A.³^ORCID,Lamont Liana B.⁴^ORCID,Else-Quest Nicole M.⁵^ORCID,Priniski Stacy J.⁶,Thoman Dustin B.⁷^ORCID,Hyde Janet S.¹⁸,Smith Jessi L.⁹^ORCID

Affiliation:

1. Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706

2. Department of Psychology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45221

3. Department of Psychology and Population Research Center, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712

4. Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706

5. Department of Women's and Gender Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599

6. The Hope Center for College, Community, and Justice, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19140

7. Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182

8. Department of Gender & Women's Studies, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706

9. Department of Psychology, University of Colorado-Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs, CO 80918

Abstract

We tested the long-term effects of a utility-value intervention administered in a gateway chemistry course, with the goal of promoting persistence and diversity in STEM. In a randomized controlled trial (N = 2,505), students wrote three essays about course content and its personal relevance or three control essays. The intervention significantly improved STEM persistence overall (74% vs. 70% were STEM majors 2.5 y later). Effects were larger for students from marginalized and underrepresented racial/ethnic groups, who were 14 percentage points more likely to persist in STEM fields in the intervention condition (69% vs. 55%). Mediation analysis suggests that the intervention promoted persistence for these students by bolstering their motivation to attain a STEM degree and by promoting engagement with course assignments. This theory-informed curricular intervention is a promising tool for educators committed to retaining students in STEM.

Funder

HHS | National Institutes of Health

ED | Institute of Education Sciences

Publisher

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

Subject

Multidisciplinary

Link

https://pnas.org/doi/pdf/10.1073/pnas.2300463120

Reference39 articles.

1. Patterns of Persistence in Intended College Major with a Focus on STEM Majors

2. Does STEM Stand Out? Examining Racial/Ethnic Gaps in Persistence Across Postsecondary Fields