An Exploratory Study on Initial Stem Classes and African American Freshman males who are STEM Majors at a Large Mid-Atlantic State University: Factors Affecting Self-Efficacy Beliefs and Persistence in the STEM Pipeline

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dc.contributor.advisorGalluzzo, Gary R.
dc.contributor.authorCalhoun, William Jason
dc.creatorCalhoun, William Jason
dc.date.accessioned2013-08-09T15:36:31Z
dc.date.available2013-08-09T15:36:31Z
dc.date.issued2013
dc.description.abstractThe purpose of this study was to test how well social cognitive career theory (SCCT) explains the effects of an introductory freshman year science course on the career perspectives of African American males at a large, public mid-Atlantic state university. Embracing SCCT as the foundation of this project, the dissertation intended to gather data from these young men to develop insight into how and in what ways their self-efficacy throughout the semester was influenced by their first science course, and changing their outlook on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) careers while in school and after graduation. To a small number of freshman African American male students who have declared themselves STEM majors, I utilized a qualitative study investigating this phenomenon. The major findings detailed themes that affected these young men including concerns about mathmatics preparation, isolation, balance, microagression, and help-seeking. Results indicate that there was an impact on the confidence, achievement, and goal setting for these young men due to these factors and that social cognitive career theory was an appropriate framework from which to test these questions.
dc.format.extent174 pages
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/1920/8189
dc.language.isoen
dc.rightsCopyright 2013 William Jason Calhoun
dc.subjectEducation
dc.subjectScience education
dc.subjectAfrican American freshman males
dc.subjectPersistence
dc.subjectSelf-Efficacy beliefs
dc.subjectSocial Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT)
dc.subjectSTEM
dc.titleAn Exploratory Study on Initial Stem Classes and African American Freshman males who are STEM Majors at a Large Mid-Atlantic State University: Factors Affecting Self-Efficacy Beliefs and Persistence in the STEM Pipeline
dc.typeDissertation
thesis.degree.disciplineEducation
thesis.degree.grantorGeorge Mason University
thesis.degree.levelDoctoral

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