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The power of knowledgeable peers (in this case undergraduate learning assistants [LAs]) to scaffold learning in ways that can positively influence both cognitive and affective outcomes in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), is explored in this study. In terms of the cognitive perspective, we use a metacognitive awareness (MA) framework for which the MA indicator predicts course performance. For the affective perspective, we use a disciplinary identity (DI) framework for which the DI indicator predicts discipline-specific persistence. A survey that included these indicators as well as students' experiences in STEM classes was administered to over 2000 students. Multiple regression models reveal student experiences (individually and socially) as predictors of MA and DI. Certain social learning experiences (e.g., explaining to others when the LA is present) were found to be more predictive of MA than individual learning experiences. This result provides evidence to suggest that collaborative environments may align with increased metacognitive processes. Social learning experiences (e.g., explaining to the LA) were also found to be positive and significant predictors of DI but with a smaller effect than for MA. Fully participating in group activities was found to be a significant and positive predictor of both outcomes. This study provides further evidence for the importance of active learning (both individually and socially) for both cognitive and affective outcomes as well as the growing role that LAs can play to enhance these outcomes.

It is well known that women are underrepresented in science. technology engineering and mathematics (STEM) and that their interest declines more steeply over the schooling years. As such, this study uses a STEM identity theoretical framework to examine the effects of early STEM experiences, focusing particularly on experiences that may be more formative for female students. Given that early experiences are a form of capital, the study is also guided by nuanced perspectives on STEM capital and STEM identity capital. The data used were drawn from surveys administered to 15,725 college students. Blocked regression models were utilized and the results indicated a significant effect on STEM identity for students who reported encouragement in STEM from elementary school teachers, using STEM toys/kits, watching STEM-related TV programs or movies, playing STEM computer/video games, and observing or studying stars and other astronomical objects. Negative experiences included baking/cooking/kitchen chemistry and writing about STEM. To examine which of these experiences had long-lasting impact in the face of intervening experiences in middle/high school, controls were provided for middle/high school STEM interest. This indicated early experiences that translated to STEM identity capital in the future. Only observing stars became nonsignificant, while the other early experiences likely contributed to STEM identity capital. The findings highlight early experiences that can be formative for STEM identity years later (i.e., STEM identity capital) despite intervening years of changing STEM interest. As such, the results provide both practical and theoretical insight into understanding the development and maintenance of STEM identity.

In this paper, we examine the relationship between participants' childhood science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) related experiences, their STEM identity (i.e., seeing oneself as a STEM person), and their college career intentions. Whereas some evidence supports the importance of childhood (i.e., K-4) informal STEM education experiences, like participating in science camps, existing research does not adequately address their relationship to STEM career intention later in life. Grounding our work in identity research, we tested the predictive power of STEM identity on career intention (N = 15,847). We found that for every one-point higher on our STEM identity scale, participants' odds of choosing a STEM career in college increased by 85%. We then tested whether a variety of childhood informal experiences predicted participants' STEM identity. While controlling for home environment, gender, and other relevant factors, only talking with friends and family about science, and consuming science and science-fiction media (i.e., books and television) were predictive of STEM identity in college.

This retrospective cohort study characterizes how interest in science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM) careers changes during high school for more than 6,000 students in a representative national sample of 34 two- and four-year colleges taking mandatory college English courses. Overall, large gender differences in career plans were found, with males showing far more interest particularly in engineering, whereas females were more attracted to careers in health and medicine during their high school years. The key factor predicting STEM career interest at the end of high school was interest at the start of high school. There was an additional effect of gender, indicating both a lower retention of STEM career interest among females and a greater difficulty in attracting females to STEM fields during high school. During the high school years, the percentage of males interested in a STEM career remained stable (from 39.5 to 39.7), whereas for females it declined from 15.7 to 12.7. The students' initial specific (disciplinary) career interests were found to influence the stability of their interest in a STEM career, with those interested in physics careers at the start of high school having the highest retention in STEM. (Contains 5 footnotes, 4 tables and 2 figures.)

In this paper, we examine the relationship between participants' childhood science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) related experiences, their STEM identity (i.e., seeing oneself as a STEM person), and their college career intentions. Whereas some evidence supports the importance of childhood (i.e., K‐4) informal STEM education experiences, like participating in science camps, existing research does not adequately address their relationship to STEM career intention later in life. Grounding our work in identity research, we tested the predictive power of STEM identity on career intention (N = 15,847). We found that for every one‐point higher on our STEM identity scale, participants' odds of choosing a STEM career in college increased by 85%. We then tested whether a variety of childhood informal experiences predicted participants' STEM identity. While controlling for home environment, gender, and other relevant factors, only talking with friends and family about science, and consuming science and science‐fiction media (i.e., books and television) were predictive of STEM identity in college. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This retrospective cohort study characterizes how interest in science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM) careers changes during high school for more than 6,000 students in a representative national sample of 34 two- and four-year colleges taking mandatory college English courses. Overall, large gender differences in career plans were found, with males showing far more interest particularly in engineering, whereas females were more attracted to careers in health and medicine during their high school years. The key factor predicting STEM career interest at the end of high school was interest at the start of high school. There was an additional effect of gender, indicating both a lower retention of STEM career interest among females and a greater difficulty in attracting females to STEM fields during high school. During the high school years, the percentage of males interested in a STEM career remained stable (from 39.5 to 39.7), whereas for females it declined from 15.7 to 12.7. The students' initial specific (disciplinary) career interests were found to influence the stability of their interest in a STEM career, with those interested in physics careers at the start of high school having the highest retention in STEM. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Sci Ed 96:411-427, 2012 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]