2014 - Expectancy-Value Models of the STEM Persistence Plans of Ninth-Grade, High-Ability Students: A Comparison Between Black, Hispanic, and White Students

Attribution: Anderson, Lori, & Ward, Thomas J.
Researchers: Lori AndersonThomas J. Ward
University Affiliation: The College of William and Mary; Kansas State University
Email: landersen@ksu.edu
Research Question:
Examine the relationships of demographic and expectancy-value variables with STEM persistence status.
Published: Yes
Journal Name or Institutional Affiliation: Science Education
Journal Entry: Vol. 98 No.2 Pp. 216-242
Year: 2014
Findings:
  1. In the Black group, persisters scored significantly higher than non-persisters in mathematics achievement, science intrinsic value, and science attainment value. In the Hispanic group, persisters scored significantly higher than non-persisters in STEM utility value and science attainment value. In the White group, there were significant differences between persisters and non-persisters on science self-efficacy, science intrinsic value, mathematics attainment value, and science attainment value.
  2. SES did not significantly predict planned STEM persistence for any group of high-ability students; students from higher SES households were not significantly more likely to plan to persist.
  3. Mathematics achievement did not significantly predict persistence for Hispanic or White students, but was a significant predictor for Black students.
  4. Gender was not a significant predictor of persistence plans for any group.
  5. One significant predictor was common to the three groups; science attainment value was a significant predictor of persistence plans for Black, Hispanic, and White students. STEM utility was a significant predictor for Hispanic students, but not for Black or White students.
  6. Mathematics and science self-efficacy did not play a significant role in persistence plans.
  7. Ninth-grade, high-ability students who have a higher attainment value for science are more likely to plan to persist in STEM. For Hispanic students, a higher utility value was a predictor of persistence, whereas for Black students a higher mathematics achievement was a predictor.
  8. Science attainment value, science intrinsic value, and STEM utility value were predictive of STEM persistence, but these variables operated differently in groups of Black, Hispanic, and White students.
  9. Implications for educators include the need for ways to improve perceptions of science identity and awareness of the utility of science and mathematics courses.
Scholarship Types: Journal Article Reporting Empirical ResearchKeywords: Academic AchievementCollegeExpectancy Value ModelHigh AbilityPersistencePredictorsRaceSTEMRegions: NationalMethodologies: QuantitativeResearch Designs: Secondary Survey DataAnalysis Methods: Descriptive StatisticsHierarchal Logistic Regression Sampling Frame:High Ability Ninth Graders
Sampling Types: Nationally RepresentativeAnalysis Units: StudentData Types: Quantitative-Longitudinal
Data Description:
  • The Eccles et al. (1983) expectancy value model of achievement-related choices is the theoretical framework for this study. According to this model, students’ decisions to persist in taking mathematics and science coursework are determined by their personal assessments of the likelihood of success in, and the relative value that they assign to, the options perceived to be available.
  • The High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (21,444 students from 944 schools) was used. It is a nationally representative sample of ninth-grade students. The analytic sample was 1,757 (48% female, 52% male) Black(13.8%), Hispanic (26.7%), and White (59.6%) students who scored in the top 10% of their race group on the mathematics achievement test. The analyses were based on weighted samples that were created to adjust for oversampling bias and non-response.High-ability status was operationalized as students who scored in the top 10% of their race group on the mathematics achievement test.
  • Eleven independent variables were used to create a model for STEM persistence.
  • Socioeconomic Status is a standardized, continuous, composite variable based on parent/guardian education, occupation, and family income.
  • Mathematics and science self-efficacy variables were created by asking students about their beliefs in their abilities to be successful in the current mathematics and science course.
  • Attainment value is based on the consistency of a mathematics or science identity with the student’s identity. Students were asked how well they agreed with statements such as “You see yourself as a math (science) person” and “Others see you as a math (science)person.”
  • The researchers constructed scale scores for utility and intrinsic value. Student responses to a series of questions that probed the reasons why students planned to take more mathematics or science courses during high school were used to construct scales for the utility and intrinsic value of mathematics and science courses.
  • The researchers also constructed a scale for cost. Four questions concerned the impact of spending a lot of time and effort in mathematics and science classes on the amount of time available to spend with friends, time to spend on other activities, popularity, and being made fun of.
  • The dependent variable of this study was a dichotomous variable that indicated STEM pipeline status. Students who identified the occupation they expected to have at age 30 as (1) computer and mathematical; (2) architecture and engineering; (3) life, physical, and social sciences; or (4) healthcare practitioners and technical occupations were identified as having planned to persist. If a student planned on taking 4 years of mathematics, 4 years of science, and at least one Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate mathematics or science course during high school, the student was included. Students who met either of the two criteria “identification of a future STEM occupation or indication of intent to a plan to persist” were assigned the dependent variable value of “planned to persist.”
Theoretical Framework:
Relevance:Factors Related to STEM Readiness
Archives: K-16 STEM Abstracts