Identifying Gender-Specific Factors Related to Stem Retention ar a Large State Univiersity

• Activity Number: 45
• Type: Contributed
• Date/Time: Sunday, July 29, 2012 : 2:00 PM to 3:50 PM
• Sponsor: Social Statistics Section
• Author(s): Ulrike Genschel*+ and John Riddles and Ian Mouzon and Alicia L. Carriquiry and Monica Degnan and Elgin Johnston and Kenneth Koehler and Wolfgang Kliemann and Hien Nguyen
• Companies: Iowa State University and Iowa State University and Iowa State University and Iowa State University and Iowa State University and Iowa State University and Iowa State University and Iowa State University and Iowa State University
• Keywords: logistic regression ; STEM sciences ; gender ; STEM retention ; undergraduate mathematics ; undergraduate statistics

Abstract

The gender gap in college graduation for the STEM fields persists even as men and women arrive at college equally prepared in terms of high-school mathematics coursework, achievement, scores on standardized tests, and having similar self-efficacy beliefs. Basic mathematics and statistics training is one of the first tasks students in the STEM fields face when entering college: Few of the courses in STEM majors are open to students who have not successfully completed their introductory courses in the mathematical sciences. The analysis presented here will provide insight into the role introductory mathematics and statistics courses play in STEM retention with respect to gender. In particular, we are aiming to identify courses and related contextual factors that contribute to women leaving a STEM science major. We have data available for all students that have entered Iowa State University since the 2005 academic year.