In partnership with the Center for Education Innovation & Learning in the Sciences (CEILS) and the teaching team of LS110: Diversifying Career Pathways for Life Science Students, researchers at CEA examined the role of career interventions and their impact on students’ sense of self and preparation for careers in STEM fields. The mixed-methods study examined how LS110 fostered undergraduates’ STEM confidence and career self-efficacy. Guided by a STEM persistence framework, the research team also sought to establish the analytical value of including a career exploration course to the toolbox of practices, including early research experiences, active learning, and learning communities, that drive increased STEM confidence and motivation. The results revealed that students’ satisfaction with their choice of career path, confidence in staying in their major, confidence in their ability to obtain a job and/or apply to graduate school, and their career self-efficacy increased, thereby affirming that students benefited from exposure to diverse career pathways and opportunities to practice the skills needed for conducting career research and making career decisions.
Citation:
Liu, A., Shapiro, C., Gregg, J., Levis-Fitzgerald, M., Sanders O’Leary, E., & Kennison, R. L. (2022). Scaling up a life sciences college career exploration course to foster STEM confidence and career self-efficacy. Research in Science & Technological Education. doi: 10.1080/02635143.2022.2083599
