Exploring Factors Associated With Undergraduate Students' Sense of Belonging in STEM Disciplines

• In Event: Thursday Roundtable Session 4:20 pm
  In Roundtable Session: Navigating Higher Education: Exploring Belonging, Identity, and Resilience Among Undergraduate Students (Table 30)

Abstract

Within undergraduate STEM programs, student attrition is a major concern with approximately only half the entering students completing a STEM degree. One potential protective factor against attrition is sense of belonging (SOB), which has been linked to degree completion. To better understand the factors that influence SOB, we examined the relationship between student demographics, values, and experiences and SOB within six STEM disciplines using senior exit survey responses collected over three years. We interviewed students to contextualize and elaborate upon survey responses. While the disciplines differed somewhat in specific factors predictive of SOB, in five of the six disciplines interactive/evidence-based learning experiences were positively associated with SOB. Interviews revealed experiences that positively (small communities) and negatively (competitive classrooms) impacted SOB.

Authors

• Gili Marbach-Ad, University of Maryland

• Sara Gliese, University of Maryland

• Katerina Thompson, University of Maryland