Mathematical problem posing, or authoring mathematical tasks, can allow students to integrate their interests and experiences into the classroom. Little research has explored different designs for scaffolding or facets of posed problem quality, particularly when problem posing is based on students' interests. We created an environment that enabled…

The significant under-representation of women in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers fields directly links to the under-enrollment and retention in STEM educational degree programs. Using the leaky pipeline framework and theory of student persistence, the purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to…

Increasing the representation of skilled workers in STEM fields has been a priority in the United States, with a particular emphasis on supporting underrepresented groups. While urban areas with established higher education institutions have made efforts to engage underrepresented students in STEM, this study sheds light on the challenges faced by…

STEM leaders, deans and chairs who oversee three or more academic disciplines, tend to leave their posts at a fast pace. This can cause disruptions within an academic unit for both students and faculty. The purpose of this action research study was to investigate the rate of attrition among community college Science, Technology, Engineering and…

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Technology (STEM) fields face challenges with underrepresented minority (URM) student achievement and retention. White students earned 59% of bachelor's degrees in science and engineering, while LatinX and African American students earned 16% and 9% respectively (National Center for Science and Engineering…

One function of modern education has been to prepare students for future college and/or career pathways. Particular attention in the US is given to preparation in STEM career fields. However, we may not be effective in advising students towards some STEM careers. This qualitative interview study evaluates the perspectives of stakeholders in…

The labor-market payoff to workers with associate degrees in healthcare and STEM occupations is very high in Massachusetts. We examine whether this induced a growing proportion of students in MA community colleges (MACCs) to earn an associate degree (AD) in one of these fields. We do this by using multinomial logit analysis to compare trends…

While there is an accelerating demand for professionals in Science Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) careers, African-American females (AAF) continue to remain disproportionately represented. Increasing the representation of AAF in STEM is vital to the U.S. workforce. Considerations of both external and internal barriers that impede…

The Fourth Industrial Revolution is changing the job labor market and accelerating the need for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) jobs. To meet the needs of the job labor market, the Latino population will be a critical component as it is growing in the United States overall and in the southwest. Community colleges are a…

This qualitative study explored the views of community college employers, faculty, administrators, and students on the importance of foundational skills, including literacy, numeracy, and problem-solving skills, in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) programs of study. Participants (N=50) were recruited, semi-structured interviews…

We, Professors Wendy Chin and Vinitha Nithianandam, both who teach technology courses at the Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC), had a vision. This vision was to attract more women into the technology field and keep them enrolled in technology courses through graduation or transfer. We sought to do this by creating the CCBC Women in…

Experience in research facilitates development of science identity and encourages undergraduate student persistence along the pathway to careers in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). Participation in authentic research can foster identity development by influencing a sense of belonging, recognition, interest, and performance and…

The California community colleges have been mandated to implement Assembly Bill 705 which requires students to complete English and math requirements within 1 year. This study examined math data for incoming students with disabilities from a community college in Southern California. Two statistical analyses were performed to examine math success…

Chemistry students at community colleges often experience a lack of hands-on research opportunities, which can be a significant disadvantage when they transition to four-year universities. To address this, the Summer Chemistry Research Opportunities for Community College Students (SCROCCS) was established in 2022 by graduate students at the…

An opportunity exists to attract students from historically underrepresented communities into the geosciences, the least diverse of the STEM fields. Home to a diverse population, Riverside County in Southern California supports several community colleges with thriving geoscience programs where students can take a range of geology courses in…