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2015 - Determining the Effects of Computer Science Education at the Secondary Level on STEM Major Choices in Postsecondary Institutions in the United States

Attribution: Lee, Ahlam
Researchers: Ahlam Lee
University Affiliation: Xavier University
Email: leea15@xavier.edu
Research Question:
1) To what extent does taking more units in computer science courses predict students' STEM major choices in 4-year post-secondary institutions, controlling for credits earned in math and science, ACT math scores, gender, social economic status (SES), and racial background? 2) To what extent does taking more units in computer science courses predict students' STEM major choices in 2-year post-secondary institutions, controlling for credits earned in math and science, ACT math scores, gender, SES, and racial background? 3) To what extent does taking more units in computer science courses lead to a significant difference in students' major choices between4-year and 2-year post-secondary institutions, controlling for credits earned in math and science, ACT math scores, gender, SES, and racial background?
Published: Yes
Journal Name or Institutional Affiliation: Computers and Education
Journal Entry: Vol. 88, Pp. 241-255
Year: 2015
Findings:
  1. Students who took more units in computer science courses were significantly more likely to choose STEM majors in both 4-year and 2-year post-secondary institutions.
  2. Regardless of the type of post-secondary institutions that students attended, taking more units in computer science courses played a significant role in choosing STEM majors.
  3. The effects of computer science education on student STEM major selection were equally as strong as the effects of math and science education.
  4. Taking more units in computer science courses significantly predicted students’ enrollment in 4-year post-secondary institutions rather than enrollment in 2-year post-secondary institutions among STEM students after controlling for selected student demographic variables.
  5. A one-unit increase in taking computer science courses decreased the odds of choosing non-STEM majors in 4-year post-secondary institutions rather than STEM majors in 2-year post-secondary institutions.
  6. No significant relationship emerged between the number of computer science credits that students took during their high school years and student enrollment in 4-year compared to 2-year post-secondary institutions among students who declared non-STEM majors.
  7. The results suggest that promoting the quality of computer science education is just as important in motivating students to pursue STEM education and career choices at the secondary level as are math and science education.
Scholarship Types: Journal Article Reporting Empirical ResearchKeywords: Academic AchievementComputer ScienceCourse-enrollment PatternsMajor in STEMPostsecondary EducationSTEMRegions: NationalMethodologies: QuantitativeResearch Designs: Secondary Survey DataAnalysis Methods: Descriptive StatisticsLogistic Regression Sampling Frame:High school to college students.
Sampling Types: Nationally RepresentativeAnalysis Units: StudentData Types: Quantitative-Longitudinal
Data Description:
  • This study conceptualizes that high school students between the ages of 15 and 18 years begin to explore their career potential in STEM fields by being actively involved in STEM-related subjects, framed conceptually by Super’s stages of career development.
  • ELS of 2002/2006. This is a sample of U.S. young adults on their learning progress and outcomes from high school to post-secondary education at three points in time. These young adults were seniors in high school in 2004.
  • The sample used to address Research Question 1 included a total of 4680 students in 4-year post-secondary institutions who disclosed their college majors. For Research Question 2, a total of 1700 students in 2-year post-secondary institutions were included.
  • The dependent variable for the first two research questions was a dichotomous variable based on whether students’ chose a STEM major in post-secondary settings.
  • The dependent variables for the third research question examine the following four dichotomous dependent variables: (a) enrollment in STEM majors in 4-year post-secondary institutions vs. enrollment in STEM majors in 2-year post-secondary institutions; (b) enrollment in STEM majors in 4-year post-secondary institutions vs. enrollment in non-STEM majors in 2-year post-secondary institutions; (c) enrollment in non-STEM majors in 4-year post-secondary institutions vs. STEM majors in 2-year post-secondary institutions; and (d) enrollment in non-STEM majors in 4-year post-secondary institutions vs. non-STEM majors 2-year institutions.
  • The independent variables selected included the number of units in computer science, math, and science in which students enrolled and math scores on the ACT.
  • Control variables in this study were gender, SES, and race/ethnicity.
Theoretical Framework:
Relevance:Factors Related to STEM Readiness
Archives: K-16 STEM Abstracts
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