2014 - Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Readiness: Ethno-Linguistic and Gender Differences in High-School Course Selection Patterns

Attribution: Adamuti-Trache, Maria, & Sweet, Robert
Researchers: Maria Adamuti-TracheRobert Sweet
University Affiliation: University of Texas at Arlington; Lakehead University Ontario, Canada
Email: mtrache@uta.edu
Research Question:
1) What are the ethno-linguistic profiles of high school graduates that entered the ESL program in schools in British Columbia at different ages? 2) What are the determinants and correlates of Grade 12 course selecting patterns (CSP) with respect to student gender, ethno-linguistic group, academic history, grade level at entry and achievement history? 3) What student demographics increase the probability that students will choose classes that prepare them for a STEM major? 4) What are the probabilities of CSP by gender and ethnic group status?
Published: Yes
Journal Name or Institutional Affiliation: International Journal of Science Education
Journal Entry: Vol. 36, No. 4, Pp. 610-634
Year: 2014
Findings:
  1. There is a late entry effect on the likelihood of choosing math and science related course selected patterns. The authors interpret this as newcomers being more prepared or more interested in sciences than students trained in the BC system. Also, they attribute it to the late entry students typically being immigrants where English is not their first language and would likely be more comfortable in math classes.
  2. More years in the BC school system decreases the likelihood to select math and science related course packages.
  3. Immigrants, in general, were the most likely to choose math or science related courses.
  4. Strong achievement scores in grade 4 or 7 were strongly linked with students that chose science-related courses over non-science courses.
  5. Females are less likely to choose math or physical sciences in comparison to men. They are more likely than men to choose life science courses.
Scholarship Types: Journal Article Reporting Empirical ResearchKeywords: Academic AchievementCourse Selection PatternsEthnicityGenderImmigrantsSTEMSTEM EducationRegions: British ColumbiaInternationalMethodologies: QuantitativeResearch Designs: Secondary Survey DataAnalysis Methods: Descriptive StatisticsMultinomial Logistic Regression Sampling Frame:Kindergarten through 12th Grade Students
Sampling Types: RandomAnalysis Units: StudentData Types: Quantitative-Longitudinal
Data Description:
  • The Longitudinal file created included data from four datasets. The student-level administrative data covers from 1993 to 2009; foundation skills assessment numeracy; grade 4 (1999-2993) and grade 7 (2001-2005); grade 10 provincially examinable courses (2004-2008): math and science; grade 12 selected subjects (2004-2008) math, biology, physics and chemistry. The research sample contains 44,356 students representing 64% of youth born in 1990 whoever attended BC K-12 schools.
  • The variables and constructs employed in the analysis are: student socio-demographic characteristics (gender and ethno-linguistic groups), academic history (grade level at entry, number of years in BC schools and percentage of years in ESL programs), achievement (early numeracy, Grade 10 math and science and high-school GPA) and student outcomes- high-school course selection patterns (Non-science, Math, Life sciences and Physical sciences).
  • The dependent variable is course selection patterns (math, life science, physical science, or non-science).
  • The independent variables are ethno-linguistic group, gender, percentage of years in ESL programs, previous achievement, number of years in BC schools, grade level at entry, early numeracy, and Grade 10 math and science and high-school GPA.
  • The authors acknowledge the limitation of the K-12 database that does not include information on students’ place of birth. Although the combined information on language most often spoken at home, late entry into the provincial school system and ESL enrollment could be a proxy for immigrant status, the authors avoid making this assumption because ethnic students may move between provinces. Having information on ethnicity alone ignores the adjustment period that is necessary for the successful integration of immigrant children in schools. Both types of information would be useful because immigrant status requires disaggregation usually by ethnicity or region of origin in order to be meaningful in social analyses. However, since cultural values present in families and ethnic communities exert considerable influence on the school efforts and accomplishments of children and youth, a comparative study based on ethno-linguistic groups is still relevant to education policy and practice.
Theoretical Framework:
Relevance:Links individual factors and its impacts on STEM readiness.
Archives: K-16 STEM Abstracts