Examining the Daily Lives of Undergraduate Students in STEM Majors

• In Event: 44.084 - Roundtable Session 18
  In Roundtable Session: 44.084-16 - Student Resiliency and Agency in STEM

Abstract

One of the primary factors driving the disparity in STEM success is time available for study. This study leverages a novel approach -- the experience sampling method -- to collect repeated snapshots of how undergraduate STEM majors spend their daily time and how engagement varies across activities. Our results suggest that students’ time use varies considerably, but that we can begin to explain these differences based on work responsibilities. Further, we also see that student affect appears to vary by activity, with work and school appearing to be experiences where students have lower than average levels of engagement and happiness.

Author

• Nathan Jones, Boston University