Factors that Predict Participation in Out-of-Class Activities for STEM Students

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Published: Apr 29, 2021

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Denise R Simmons
University of Florida
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3401-2048
Anh Duc Chau
University of Florida

Abstract

Undergraduate student participation in out-of-class activities yields a range of documented benefits and represents an area of study that can inform efforts to increase persistence in science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) majors, particularly for underrepresented groups. This study was designed to explore the impact of selected engagement and demographic factors on participation in out-of-class activities by undergraduate students pursuing STEM degrees. We surveyed undergraduate 1,318 undergraduate STEM students from multiple institutions across the United States, with a focus on institutions that awarded STEM degrees to a relatively high number of underrepresented students. Logistic regression was used to build a prediction model of out-of-class activity participation using achievement striving, peer interaction, high school participation profile, and generation in college. There were significant interaction effects involving the level of high school participation, generation in college, and major valuing with race/ethnicity and gender. The model suggests an actionable plan to improve undergraduate STEM student participation in out-of-class activities.

Article Details

Issue
Vol. 22 No. 1 (2021): Journal of STEM Education: Research and Innovation
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Articles
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Author Biographies

Denise R Simmons, University of Florida

Denise R. Simmons, Ph.D., PE, PMP, LEED-AP is an Associate Professor in the Department of Civil and Coastal Engineering. She has over ten years of construction and civil engineering experience working for energy companies and as a project management consultant; nearly 15 years of experience in academia; and extensive experience leading and conducting multi-institutional, workforce-related research and outreach. Dr. Simmons is concerned first about the human condition and driven and inspired by what a civil engineering or construction organization can achieve by attending to the needs of its people. Her current research focuses on three areas: diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI); interactions between humans and technology; and competency development via education and training. She oversees the Simmons Research Lab. Denise R. Simmons, Ph.D., PE, PMP 
Associate Professor Department of Civil and Coastal Engineering Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering  University of Florida 460D Weil Hall PO Box 116580 Gainesville FL 32611-6580 (352) 294-6967 (office) www.denisersimmons.com

Anh Duc Chau, University of Florida

Anh D. Chau, Ph.D., PMP is a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Civil and Coastal Engineering at the University of Florida. He completed his B.S. at Bach Khoa University and his M.S. and Ph.D. at the University of Alabama, all in civil engineering. His research interests include construction quantitative methods, decision support systems, and big data analytics.