2016;
Understanding the reasons for low representation of ethnic minority students in STEM fields.
R K Agrawal, M L Stevenson, C Gloster
UIID-AD: 4100
Abstract
North Carolina is becoming a state known for STEM. Its expected job growth in STEM related industries ranks in the top third nationally with Charlotte and Raleigh consistently ranking in the top 100 metropolitan areas for STEM careers. The state's universities produced 21,191 STEM graduates in 2014, the 10th most in the United States according to the Department of Education. between the 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 academic years, North Carolina universities produced the 10th most underrepresented minority graduates in STEM fields in the nation. My College Options and STEMconnector report 26.2% of North Carolina High School students are interested in STEM compared to 25.5% nationally for 2013. Statistically, North Carolina is a model for increasing diversity in STEM fields, but a large inclusion gap remains in STEM graduates. From 2009 through 2013, North Carolina universities produced four times more White engineering and computer science undergraduates than African American, Native Americans, and Hispanic engineering and computer science undergraduates combined. Considering the universities' overall production of STEM graduates, and the amount of high school students interested in STEM, an analysis of the effectiveness of North Carolina's K-12 public schools instruction on underrepresented minorities is required. Underrepresented minorities historically score lower than White and Asian American students on standardized math exams, a common metrics used to determine math aptitude. By utilizing literature reviews of previous research on the topic and analyzing the teacher population of North Carolina's K-12 public schools, standardized math exam scores of North Carolina's 3rd, 4th and 8th grade students, and the effects of economic conditions have on students' education, we hope to better understand and highlight the circumstances that are preventing an increase in STEM diversity in North Carolina. We propose increasing the number of ethnic minority educators, improve cultural training for educators by implementing cultural relational teaching methods into standard curriculum including more hands-on instruction, a redistribution of financial resources to state public educational institutions, including higher education, based on need instead of population. We believe these changes have the potential to increased interest and self-efficacy in math and science for underrepresented minority students of North Carolina. © American Society for Engineering Education, 2016.
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