Work in progress — Does learning about research affect the graduate degree aspirations of STEM undergraduates? A path analysis

Author

Strayhorn, Terrell L.

Author_Institution

Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA

fYear

2010

fDate

27-30 Oct. 2010

Abstract

Path analysis techniques were employed to test a multi-stage causal model positing the influence of perceived learning gains on graduate degree aspirations among STEM undergraduates in structured undergraduate research experience (SURE) programs. Survey responses from 108 students enrolled in 4 SUREs at 3 major research universities were analyzed. Results suggest that research self-efficacy mediated, or served as an explanatory variable for, the effect of perceived learning gains in three areas on graduate degree aspirations. Other results suggest the value-added impact of SUREs on aspirations for graduate study. Findings lend support to the role of self-efficacy as explained in existing theory.

Keywords

educational courses; engineering education; further education; mathematics; research and development; technology; STEM undergraduates; graduate degree aspiration; learning; multistage causal model testing; research universities; structured undergraduate research experience programs; survey responses; Analytical models; Conferences; Data models; Educational institutions; Engineering profession; Medical services; STEM; learning; quantitative; undergraduate research;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE), 2010 IEEE

Conference_Location

Washington, DC

ISSN

0190-5848

Print_ISBN

978-1-4244-6261-2

Electronic_ISBN

0190-5848

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/FIE.2010.5673403

Filename

5673403