Impostor Phenomenon (IP) - a psychological experience marked by self-doubt and the fear of being exposed as a fraud - affecting 46% of 18-24-year-olds and 1 in 3 Americans, leads individuals to doubt their accomplishments, attributing success to luck (Cokley et al.,2015; Neureiter & Traut-Mattausch, 2016). In STEM (Science, Technology,…

This dissertation investigates the major pathway selection process of students at a California community college from the perspective of counselors in light of the Guided Pathways movement. This study seeks to understand counselors' perspectives on how Guided Pathways shapes students' choices in selecting their majors. A qualitative research…

Research conducted by The RP Group's Multiple Measures Assessment Project (MMAP) and summarized in "Preparatory Pathways and STEM Calculus Completion: Implications of the AB 1705 Standards" found high rates of attrition along the path to calculus for students pursuing programs in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM). In this…

Research shows that while many students express interest in STEM, far fewer go on to complete degrees in these fields, with significant disparities across race and gender. Our latest report spotlights the Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement (MESA) Program, which is designed to address these disparities. Utilizing interviews with national…

The fields of augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) have seen massive growth in recent years. Numerous degree programs have started to redesign their curricula to meet the high market demand for people qualified to fill related job positions. In this paper, the authors perform a content analysis of online job postings hosted on…

Prior research has demonstrated that women and racial minority undergraduate students experience stereotype threat in unwelcoming STEM classrooms in predominantly White institutions. Drawing from focus group and journal entry data with Latinx and African American undergraduate students (N = 52) majoring in a STEM field at an institution that holds…

Background: Career options available to psychology graduates are often underestimated despite psychology being a marketable and versatile degree with hundreds of career options. Objective: This article identifies which career options students perceive as available to psychology graduates and assesses student interest in psychology-related careers.…

Online courses provide flexible learning opportunities, but research suggests that students may learn less and persist at lower rates compared to face-to-face settings. However, few studies have investigated more distal effects of online education. In this study, we analyzed 6 years of institutional data for three cohorts of students in 13 large…

Assembly Bill 1705 (AB 1705) seeks to strengthen students' completion of the first STEM Calculus course for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) programs across the California Community Colleges. The law sets new standards for students' placement and first math enrollment to ensure STEM students begin in transfer-level coursework that…

Meta-majors refer to the creation of broad program pathways or areas of interest, such as "Allied Health or Business." They are key components of the Guided Pathways efforts that provide students with a more structured and integrated academic experience. There are several different approaches (e.g., sorting exercises) colleges can use to…

This is the appendix for the report, "Expanding Enrollment Capacity at California State University." California State University (CSU) is an engine of economic mobility for Californians, particularly those from historically underrepresented communities. The system's 23 campuses are also vital in helping the state meet labor market…

This teaching note presents a required proseminar for sociology and criminology and justice studies majors. The American Sociological Association reported that about half of U.S. sociology program curriculum integrate career resources and about one-third offer a course. On a spring 2021 proseminar pilot self-assessment pretest, 18 students…

Online courses provide flexible learning opportunities, but research suggests that students may learn less and persist at lower rates compared to face-to-face settings. However, few research studies have investigated more distal effects of online education. In this study we analyzed six years of institutional data for three cohorts of students in…

To study beliefs about ability and STEM major choice, I conduct a field experiment where I provide students with information that they are above average in their top fields of study. I find that STEM students are more likely to switch out of their major and that non-STEM students fail to switch into STEM at the same rates as other fields. I also…

Assembly Bill 1705 (AB 1705) seeks to strengthen students' completion of the first STEM Calculus course for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) programs across the California Community Colleges. The law sets new standards for students' placement and first math enrollment to ensure STEM students begin in transfer-level coursework that…