The Development of Science Identity Through a Research-Based First-Year Biology Seminar

• In Event: Identity, Language, and Knowledge in Science Learning

Abstract

There continues to be more STEM jobs than qualified graduates to fill these positions, and recruiting students into STEM majors is insufficient. We know that of students who enter college intending to pursue STEM, nearly half do not finish their STEM degree. Here, we focus on retaining students who enter college with a declared biology major. This qualitative study examines this retention issue through the lens of identity theory, situated learning, and constructivism, in the context of a research-focused biology first-year seminar at a small, private university. It was found that the six participants felt more like scientists at the conclusion of the semester-long seminar, and all were planning to remain in the biology major and in STEM career pathways.

Authors

• Krista L. Lucas, Pepperdine University

• Danielle Boyd Harlow, University of California - Santa Barbara

• Alexis D. Spina, University of California - Santa Barbara