Repairing the Leaky Pipeline: A Motivationally Supportive Intervention to Enhance Persistence in Undergraduate Science Pathways

• In Event: Engaging Male and Female STEM Students: Investigations of Learning Environments and Teacher Influences

Abstract

Background and Objectives
There is a growing movement within higher education to address concerns regarding STEM persistence (Fry, 2014). In the current study, we sought to address this “leaky pipeline” using modern Expectancy-Value Theory to develop a multi-faceted motivational intervention embedded within a supplemental summer program (SSP) for undergraduates. We evaluated the effectiveness of the SSP for supporting STEM choices (STEM courses completed), achievement (STEM GPA), and career intentions via changes in science self-efficacy and task value approximately 8-12 months after the SSP ended. Given the shortages of women in STEM fields, we were particularly interested in whether the pattern of effects was similar among males and females.

Method
Participants were 631 (193 SSP, 438 matched no-treatment control) first-year university students (65.8% female; 25.0% White, 45.2% Asian, 14.6% African American, 8.2% Latino, and 7.0% multi-racial/other) enrolled in gateway chemistry courses at a highly selective university. Participants completed surveys assessing their science motivation in their first-year undergraduate chemistry courses (baseline) and during the spring of their second year at the university (follow-up); course grades/enrollment were gathered from official university records. The SSP was a two-week instructional program in pharmacology designed around five motivation principles (inclusion of real-world challenging tasks, provision of choice surrounding academic tasks, encouragement of active involvement, support for feelings of belonging, and use of effort-based evaluation) to support students’ motivation to pursue scientific research careers and teach students basic concepts in biology and chemistry. SSP students participated in the program in May between their first and second years in college.

Results and Significance
Our results provide evidence of the efficacy of a motivationally-designed SSP for supporting undergraduates’ science self-efficacy and task value, and in turn, their early STEM persistence. Using structural equation modeling (SEM), we found that participation in the SSP was associated with significant increases in science self-efficacy (β = .31), interest value (β = .25), attainment value (β = .19), and utility value (β = .29). Follow-up utility value (β = .16) and self-efficacy (β = .13) predicted career intentions, interest value (β = .16) predicted second semester sophomore STEM GPA, and attainment value (β = .21) predicted second semester sophomore STEM course completion. Moreover, the SSP had a significant and positive total indirect effect on STEM course completion (β = .08) and science-research career intentions (β = .14). A multi-group SEM indicated that the effects of the SSP on motivation did not vary by gender. However, the path from interest value to STEM course completion significantly varied by gender [Δχ2 (1) = 10.08, p < .05; βmales = -.14, βfemales = .11]. Furthermore, the indirect effect of the SSP on STEM course completion was significant for females (β = .09, p = .008) but not males (β = .03, p = .353). Overall, the results highlight the potential positive impact of such a program for repairing the leaky pipeline and suggest that such an approach will be equally beneficial for males and females. Implications for theory and practice will be discussed.

Authors

• Lisa Linnenbrink-Garcia, Michigan State University

• Tony Perez, Old Dominion University

• Michael M. Barger, Duke University

• Stephanie V. Wormington, Michigan State University

• Elizabeth Godin, Duke University

• Kate E. Snyder, University of Louisville

• Rochelle Schwartz-Bloom, Duke University