This phenomenological study examines how women and Students of Color who attend a small undergraduate predominately white institution (PWI) make meaning of their experiences in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and how individual and contextual factors influence whether they decide to stay, leave, or add an STEM major. We…

Asian(American) physics students lack ample representation in physics identity studies and in the broader science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) sociological literature. This may be due to their perceived overrepresentation, the "model minority" myth, or their treatment as monolithic. These misconceptions obscure the…

As the importance of online collaborative writing is recognized as an effective teaching strategy, studies have investigated how factors such as gender, ability, and group size affect learners' collaboration. However, few studies have explored the effects of group formation, i.e., student-chosen groups (SCGs) and teacher-assigned groups (TAGs) in…

Understanding attitudes towards anthropogenic disturbances, especially among undergraduates, is important to inform educational practices because of the theoretical link between attitude and behavior. We evaluated the attitudes of undergraduate students in a biology majors course and nonmajors course toward two anthropogenic disturbances: wildfire…

Purpose: This research paper aims to evaluate the sustainability knowledge and background of students, staff and faculty regarding current university sustainability practices and individual behaviors at Central Michigan University (CMU); to compare sustainability background and knowledge based on academic discipline of enrollment or employment;…

Despite decades of national efforts to increase students' participation and success in STEM, bachelor's degrees in STEM continue to notably lag the labor force demand. Asian students represent one group that disproportionately contributes to the share of STEM degrees. Understanding their experiences can help to illuminate ways of increasing STEM…

In this exploratory mixed-methods analysis of students' perceptions of inclusion in introductory STEM courses for STEM majors, we asked students to rate inclusion in their class and to provide an open-text explanation of their rating. Analyzing 1930 qualitative responses resulted in a codebook containing academic, identity, and nonspecific…

A growing body of research has documented extensive credit loss among transfer students. However, the field lacks theoretically driven and empirically supported frameworks that can guide credit loss research and reforms. We develop and then test a comprehensive framework designed to address this gap using novel administrative credit loss data from…

This article explores the association between emotional intelligence, mental health, and English proficiency among college students. Survey results reveal that the gender ratio of college students is roughly equal, and the number of participants is stable each year. Humanities majors comprise 31% of the total. The authors collected data from…

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to determine the competency characteristics required for the employment of master's degree students in educational technology. Design/methodology/approach: A combined qualitative and quantitative method was used to consult multiple experts through a modified Delphi method. Competency characteristics were…

Although the effects of COVID-19 were felt by all students, the pandemic exacerbated the barriers to belonging for women in engineering. Little work to date has investigated women's experiences during the pandemic in disciplines that are hallmarked by masculinity. What scholarship has been completed on pandemic-necessitated virtual instruction has…

We study how human capital diversification, in the form of double majoring, affects the response of earnings to labor market shocks. Double majors experience substantial protection against earnings shocks, of 56%. This finding holds across different model specifications and data sets. Furthermore, the protection double majors experience is more…

The Mathematical Sciences Department at Shenandoah University focused on increasing the participation of women in the mathematics program by fostering a welcoming learning community and promoting double majors. Data from the past decade is presented. During this time, the program saw an increase in women undergraduate mathematics majors from 11%…

This paper explores the relationship between admission criteria and college major selection among 1,595 undergraduate students at King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAUHS) in Saudi Arabia. The study examines how the admission criteria--high school GPA, General Aptitude Test (GAT), Scholastic Achievement Admission Test (SAAT),…

Performance in mathematics can be attributed to factors other than mathematical ability. A growing body of literature examines the significant impact of mathematics anxiety (MA) on mathematical performance and individuals' choices concerning study and career pathways. However, much of the focus has been on science, technology, engineering and…