The Role of Grit and Other Non-cognitive Factors: Investigating The Engagement and Achievement of STEM Majors.

Hunter, M R (Morgan)¹, Noltemeyer, A (Amity)^1
1Miami University, 501 E. High Street, 45056, Oxford

 

Submission type

Poster only

Scheduled

Hallway, 10-07-2019, 15:30 - 17:00

Keywords

STEM, engagement, achievement, grit, fear of failure, perceived difficulty

Summary

The underrepresentation of females in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) majors is contributing to the STEM workforce shortage. Thus, the purpose of this study is to evaluate the degree to which non-cognitive factors of grit, fear of failure, and perceived difficulty predict engagement and achievement in U.S. college STEM majors. This research will also examine whether the predictive relationships differ based on gender in order to identify potential factors that influence the severe underrepresentation of females in STEM fields. A random sample of undergraduate students aged 18 years and above, enrolled in STEM majors in U.S. colleges and universities, will be recruited using Mechanical Turk (MTurk). Participants will complete an online survey consisting of items from established scales on perceived grit, engagement, fear of failure, and difficulty of STEM major. Participants will also be asked to report their major cumulative GPA, overall cumulative GPA, and demographic information. Data will be collected (in March) and analyzed prior to the conference using regression analyses. It is anticipated the findings will contribute to the literature addressing factors that may be associated with student retention and achievement in STEM majors. Implications for school psychologists’ work with students will be highlighted.

Auteurs