The Long-Term Effects of a Motivationally Supportive Undergraduate Science Enrichment Program on Science Career Persistence

• In Event: 63.066 - Motivation Interventions: Insights From a Multicomponent Perspective for Theory, Practice, and Research

Abstract

We examined the long-term effects of a motivationally supportive science enrichment program on 1) science GPA and post-college science persistence (graduation major and career choice two years post-graduation) and 2) the mediational effect of motivation on these long-term effects. This intervention is grounded in Eccles’s (1983) Expectancy-Value Theory and incorporates five motivational design principles (Authors, 2015) to support both competence beliefs and task values. These motivational processes are related to academic achievement and academic/career choices (Wang & Degol, 2013) and may also help to explain why undergraduate enrichment experiences are effective, as enrichment experiences are associated with increases in competence beliefs and task values (Russell et al., 2007; Hurtado et al., 2009). We hypothesized that the effectiveness of the enrichment program on science persistence would be explained by increased motivation for science.

The sample (N = 587) included undergraduates enrolled in gateway chemistry courses (66.3% Female; 14.3% African American, 45.8% Asian, 6.8% Hispanic, 24.2% White, 8.9% other). The enrichment program took place during the summer after students’ first year of college. Half the summer program participants were randomly selected to also participate in a fall research experience (FRE). We compared students who participated in the enrichment program (n = 186; 82 = FRE) to a comparison group (n = 401) matched on demographics, prior achievement, and prior science motivation using propensity score matching. Eight months after the intervention, all participants self-reported their science self-efficacy (α = .85) and task values (interest value, α = .91; attainment value, α = .80; utility value, α = .81). Graduating science GPA and major were collected from institutional records. Participants self-reported their science-career status two years post-graduation.

Participating in the enrichment program positively related to science self-efficacy (beta = .27, p = .008) and a second-order task-value latent variable (beta = .35, p < .001). The odds of graduating with a science major were 1.54 greater for enrichment students overall than the comparison students (p = .017). Enrichment students who also participated in FRE had nearly twice the odds (OR = 1.94) of graduating with a science major compared to comparison students. The effect of the overall enrichment program on science major was mediated by task values (b = .15, p = .006). Participation in the enrichment program had no effect on graduating science GPA or science career choice.

We found clear evidence for the long-term benefit of participating in a multi-faceted motivationally supportive science enrichment program on science major persistence. Furthermore, this effect was partially explained by more immediate impacts of the program on task values. Thus, a multifaceted motivational intervention can increase persistence in science majors via increases in motivation. While completing a science major is critical for pursuing a science career, we did not find significant long-term effects of the enrichment program on career choice or GPA, suggesting sustained intervention through college may be necessary to mitigate attrition from science careers more broadly.

Authors

• Tony Perez, Old Dominion University

• Kristy A. Robinson, Michigan State University

• You-kyung Lee, Sookmyung Women's University

• Stephanie V. Wormington, University of Virginia

• Michael M. Barger, University of Georgia - Athens

• Rochelle Schwartz-Bloom, Duke University

• Lisa Linnenbrink-Garcia, Michigan State University