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- Dedic, Helena, et al.
(författare)
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Attracting and Retaining Science Students
- 2010
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Rapport (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- This research addresses an issue raised in recent reports that demonstrate that Quebec andSweden lag behind countries with emerging economies in the number of science graduates, asmeasured by the proportion of degrees earned in the sciences. Our objective was to investigate aset of factors that might, directly and/or indirectly, impact on student achievement andperseverance in science studies. We aimed to assess cultural (Quebec vs. Sweden) and genderdifferences in students’ scores on these factors, and in the strength of the relationships that thesefactors have to achievement and perseverance. Participants (N=2184) were recruited from twopopulations: students who enrolled in one of the four public Anglophone CEGEPs in Montrealthe Fall 2007 and Swedish students who attended twelfth grade in high schools in Linköping andStockholm in the school year 2007-2008. With the consent of students, demographic,achievement and enrollment data were acquired from the databases of the Quebec and Swedishministries of education. Data on independent variables: parental support (for autonomy,competence and science acculturation); teacher support (for autonomy, competence, relatednessand science acculturation); and, cognitive style (systemizing and empathizing) were collected viasurveys. Similarly, data on mediating variables: self-efficacy; five sub-scales of motivation; and,academic emotions (boredom, anxiety and enjoyment) were also collected via surveys. Data onperseverance were exclusively collected via survey in the Swedish sample. We used both surveysand information provided by college registrars to assess perseverance of Quebecers.Confirmatory Factor Analysis was used to validate instruments used in this study. ANOVA andCORRELATION were statistics used to assess differences and strengths of relationships betweenvariables. We have found that Swedish students persevere more than their Quebec counterparts.Furthermore, female students persevere less than their male peers although their achievement isnot significantly different and the achievement was found to be the most important factor inperseverance. We have also found several promising factors that might be at the root of thegender differences in perseverance, namely, female students have: higher negative emotions(anxiety and boredom); lower self-efficacy; and lower systemizing cognitive style. All of thesevariables were shown to influence perseverance. We determined that parental support for scienceacculturation is very low. Thus, teacher support for science acculturation, which influencesstudent intrinsic motivation and self-efficacy, which in turn influence perseverance, is animportant part of teachers’ classroom role. Increasing teacher support for science acculturationmay impact positively on students with lower systemizing cognitive style, encouraging them topersevere in the pursuit of a career in the sciences.
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- Dedic, Helena, et al.
(författare)
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Emotional Involvement in STEM Studies: Canada and Sweden.
- 2011
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- This study addresses issues of stagnating/declining enrollment in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) studies. Achievement, perseverance, academic emotions and motivation data were collected from students headed towards STEM studies (1654 Canadian Junior College students, 534 Swedes graduating from High School), and analysed using Latent Class Analysis. We identified three Emotional Involvement (EI) profiles: Low (LEI); Positive (PEI); Negative (NEI). EI is a more influential source of self-efficacy than previous research has demonstrated, explaining as much as 11 % of variance in self-efficacy. PEI students are likely to succeed and persevere in science studies, provided that they successfully adapt to the college environment. College instructors need to attend to the emotional well-being of their students.
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- Dedic, Helena, et al.
(författare)
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L’écart entre les sexes dans les études en sciences : Une question de style cognitif et non d’aptitude cognitive [The gender gap in science studies: A question of cognitive style, not cognitive ability]
- 2011
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Ingår i: Pédagogie Collégial. - Montreal : Association québecoise de pédagogie collégial. - 0835-8974. ; 25:1, s. 30-37
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Selon une hypothèse controversée, le nombre inférieurde femmes par rapport à celui des hommes qui décidentde poursuivre des études en sciences, en technologie,en génie et en mathématiques (STGM) serait imputableà un écart entre les sexes dans l’aptitude cognitive(QI). Dans cet article, nous offrons des preuves quecet écart est plutôt lié aux différences dans les stylescognitifs qu’aux aptitudes cognitives. Nous démontronscomment les styles cognitifs influent sur le succès desétudiants et suggérons des méthodes pour que lesprofesseurs utilisent ces résultats afin d’améliorer laréussite des étudiants. Nos conclusions peuvent avoirdes répercussions non seulement sur l’enseignementdes STGM, mais également dans des domaines tels quela psychologie, la méthodologie quantitative (MQ),l’économie et l’éducation.Cet article fait état d’un sous-ensemble de résultatstirés d’une étude (Dedic et collab., 2010) subventionnéepar le Programme d’aide à la recherche sur l’enseignementet l’apprentissage (PAREA) qui examinait plusieursfacteurs (dont la culture, l’aptitude cognitive etle soutien du professeur) pouvant influer sur le choixd’une carrière en STGM. L’étude du PAREA portait surdes étudiants québécois et suédois âgés de 18 ans(n = 9801) qui se dirigeaient vers une carrière dans lesSTGM et qui avaient rempli deux questionnaires enclasse. Ayant suivi les cours de sciences et de mathématiquesappropriés du secondaire, tous les étudiantsquébécois étaient inscrits à un programme de sciencesdu collégial. Pour cette raison, nous affirmons qu’ils« se dirigeaient vers une carrière dans les STGM ». De lamême façon, tous les étudiants suédois étaient inscritsà des cours avancés en mathématiques et en sciences,en préparation d’études universitaires en STGM. L’étudePAREA n’a relevé aucune différence entre les Suédois etles Québécois ni de différences significatives sur le plande l’aptitude cognitive entre les sexes. Toutefois, elle amis en lumière d’importantes différences dans les stylescognitifs entre les sexes. Puisque l’étude n’a pu établiraucune corrélation entre l’aptitude cognitive et le stylecognitif, nous avons conclu que ces deux concepts sontindépendants l’un de l’autre.
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- Edvardsson Stiwne, Elinor, 1947-, et al.
(författare)
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Engineering students experiences of becoming an engineer
- 2010
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Tidskriftsartikel (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The focus is on how students construct, deconstruct and reconstruct the meaning of being an engineering student and of becoming an engineer in relation to the concept of employability. Four cohorts of students in a Masters program in Engineering were monitored annually with a “follow up” one year after graduation. Results show that there were differences in the way students talked about their curricular design, career plans, job search, becoming an employee and employable, and job satisfaction. Throughout the interviews certain turning points were identified, where the students had to make various decisions. Many students argued that generic skills and cultural values are best learned in extra-curricular activities and in work contexts, and that doing a thesis project in a firm was the best learning experience . During this thesis process students became conscious of their valuable employability skills, which in the job search process were a good thesis project; a diploma from the program, self-efficacy, problem-solving skills and a broad knowledge base. On the job, the most valuable acquired key skills were considered to be mathematics and subject specific knowledge; problem solving skills; time management skills; learning skills; and, an ability to manage stress and heavy workloads.
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