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Knowledge, competencies, and reflective attitudes regarding STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) are essential for navigating global and societal changes in the economy and workforce [...]

In introductory programming courses (IPCs), students encounter various difficulties that are related to low achievement and high dropout and failure rates. Technology-rich approaches that promote self-directed learning while facilitating competency development and knowledge construction through social collaboration may offer advantages in this context. The current study assesses such an instructional approach by (1) identifying antecedents and process variables related to course achievement in an online flipped classroom IPC and (2) testing for gender differences regarding antecedents, process variables, and course achievement. In the winter semester of 2020/21, a sample of 144 Austrian university students participated in a survey with measurements at different points in time. Multiple linear regression was carried out to explore factors related to course achievement. The results indicate that gender, achievement-avoidance goals, academic self-concept, engagement in asynchronous learning, and course satisfaction were positively related to achievement. In contrast, work avoidance was identified as a barrier to achievement. Additionally, multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was employed to test gender differences. MANOVA revealed significant gender differences regarding learning goals, mathematical self-concept, work avoidance, and engagement in synchronous learning. There were no gender differences regarding course satisfaction or achievement. The study has implications for designing innovative programming courses that could foster course satisfaction and achievement and thus reduce dropout and failure rates.

Starting early in life, children, especially girls, experience obstacles when it comes to developing an interest in STEM. Although early childhood (EC) educators face an important task in promoting girls (and boys) in STEM, they often face challenges in doing so. Therefore, it is crucial for EC educators to cultivate positive attitudes, self-concepts, and STEM skills. To address these identified issues, a three-month professional development program was created for EC educators. This professional development program was evaluated using a pre–post design with a focus on the self-concept and gender stereotypes of EC educators. The program involved 30 female EC educators in evaluating these aspects. The statistical analyses show positive results in enhancing educators’ self-concepts and reducing gender stereotypes over the course of this professional development program. The results suggest the potential of the blended learning design in this professional development program and indicate that this program could serve as a promising model for future interventions.

The proportion of women enrolled in STEM courses at university level has remained consistently low for decades. Differences, however, exist between various STEM domains: While engineering and technology appear especially unattractive, subjects such as mathematics, biology, or chemistry have better chances at attracting women. Research has mostly neglected these differences, treating STEM as an overall category. In the light of the differences in the proportions of women enrolled in and dropping out of various STEM subjects, the present study takes a more differentiated look to separately investigate the STEM subjects that have a low or moderate proportion of females. The following study focuses on female university students’ intrinsic and extrinsic motivations in these two groups of STEM subjects, asking to what degree the academic STEM self-concept and support experienced in both school and the family contribute to the motivation to study a STEM topic. Four hundred sixty-nine female students took part in the investigation. Two hundred eighty-four of them were enrolled in STEM subjects with a low proportion of females (STEM-LPF) and 185 in STEM subjects with a moderate proportion of females (STEM-MPF). A comparison of the two samples shows that women in STEM-LPF exceed women in STEM-MPF with regard to their academic STEM self-concept and intrinsic and extrinsic motivations. Different variables contribute to motivation in the two samples. For STEM-LPF, a latent regression analysis found positive relationships between the academic STEM self-concept and both intrinsic and extrinsic motivations, while support experienced in school and from the family was not related to motivation. By contrast, in the STEM-MPF sample, the academic self-concept was not related to motivation. Previous interest in STEM subjects in school contributed positively to present intrinsic and extrinsic motivations. An unexpected result, however, was found concerning activities in school that were designed to promote interest in STEM. Memories of these kinds of activities were negatively related to both intrinsic and extrinsic motivations. These measures might be experienced as intrusive support: attempts to promote STEM sometimes might backfire and achieve the opposite of what was intended.

It's possible to assume that women who study STEM topics with a low proportion of females have successfully overcome barriers in school and the family, making them less prone to stereotypic views, and influences. The present study focuses on these kinds of factors and analyzes to which degree family factors, school-related factors, and individual stereotypes may influence a woman's academic self-concept. The following study presents a latent regression model which is based on a survey of 296 women from different German universities, all of whom are part of STEM programs of study that have