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Beyond STEM Attrition: Changing Career Plans within Stem Fields in College is Associated with Lower Motivation, Certainty, and Satisfaction about One's Career

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Title: Beyond STEM Attrition: Changing Career Plans within Stem Fields in College is Associated with Lower Motivation, Certainty, and Satisfaction about One's Career
Language: English
Authors: Emily Q. Rosenzweig (ORCID 0000-0001-6228-1029), Xiao-Yin Chen, Yuchen Song, Amy Baldwin, Michael M. Barger, Michael E. Cotterell, Jonathan Dees, Allison S. Injaian, Nandana Weliweriya, Jennifer R. Walker, Craig C. Wiegert, Paula P. Lemons
Source: International Journal of STEM Education. 2024 11.
Availability: Springer. Available from: Springer Nature. One New York Plaza, Suite 4600, New York, NY 10004. Tel: 800-777-4643; Tel: 212-460-1500; Fax: 212-460-1700; e-mail: customerservice@springernature.com; Web site: https://link.springer.com/
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 18
Publication Date: 2024
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: College Students, STEM Education, STEM Careers, Student Motivation, Student Satisfaction, Job Satisfaction, Career Change, Career Planning, Psychological Characteristics, Career Readiness, Persistence
DOI: 10.1186/s40594-024-00475-6
ISSN: 2196-7822
Abstract: Research and policy often focus on reducing attrition from educational trajectories leading to careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), but many students change career plans "within" STEM. This study examined how changing career plans within STEM fields was associated with psychological indicators of career readiness. We conducted a large online survey of undergraduate students (N = 1,727) across 42 courses covering every major STEM discipline at a large U.S. research-intensive public university. Students reported about their career plans, whether plans had changed, motivation for those career plans, and satisfaction with and certainty of persisting with those plans. A trained team of coders classified whether students reported having STEM career plans at the time of the survey and at the beginning of college. Students who said they had changed career plans within STEM fields during college also reported lower motivation for their new career plans, satisfaction with those plans, and certainty of persisting in them, compared to students who retained consistent STEM career plans. With few exceptions, these associations held across students' gender, race, year in school, and STEM field of study. Within-STEM career plan changes were very common, reported by 55% of fourth-year STEM students. Women reported changing career plans within STEM fields more often than men. Results suggest that changing career plans within STEM is an important phenomenon to consider in preparing a qualified and diverse STEM workforce. Students who change career plans within STEM fields may need additional supports for their career motivation and satisfaction compared to students who do not change plans.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2024
Accession Number: EJ1415311
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Emily+Q%2E+Rosenzweig%22">Emily Q. Rosenzweig</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6228-1029">0000-0001-6228-1029</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Xiao-Yin+Chen%22">Xiao-Yin Chen</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Yuchen+Song%22">Yuchen Song</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Amy+Baldwin%22">Amy Baldwin</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Michael+M%2E+Barger%22">Michael M. Barger</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Michael+E%2E+Cotterell%22">Michael E. Cotterell</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Jonathan+Dees%22">Jonathan Dees</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Allison+S%2E+Injaian%22">Allison S. Injaian</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Nandana+Weliweriya%22">Nandana Weliweriya</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Jennifer+R%2E+Walker%22">Jennifer R. Walker</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Craig+C%2E+Wiegert%22">Craig C. Wiegert</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Paula+P%2E+Lemons%22">Paula P. Lemons</searchLink>
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  Data: Research and policy often focus on reducing attrition from educational trajectories leading to careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), but many students change career plans "within" STEM. This study examined how changing career plans within STEM fields was associated with psychological indicators of career readiness. We conducted a large online survey of undergraduate students (N = 1,727) across 42 courses covering every major STEM discipline at a large U.S. research-intensive public university. Students reported about their career plans, whether plans had changed, motivation for those career plans, and satisfaction with and certainty of persisting with those plans. A trained team of coders classified whether students reported having STEM career plans at the time of the survey and at the beginning of college. Students who said they had changed career plans within STEM fields during college also reported lower motivation for their new career plans, satisfaction with those plans, and certainty of persisting in them, compared to students who retained consistent STEM career plans. With few exceptions, these associations held across students' gender, race, year in school, and STEM field of study. Within-STEM career plan changes were very common, reported by 55% of fourth-year STEM students. Women reported changing career plans within STEM fields more often than men. Results suggest that changing career plans within STEM is an important phenomenon to consider in preparing a qualified and diverse STEM workforce. Students who change career plans within STEM fields may need additional supports for their career motivation and satisfaction compared to students who do not change plans.
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      – SubjectFull: College Students
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      – SubjectFull: STEM Education
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