First Advisor

Pugh, Kevin J.

First Committee Member

Jameson, Molly M.

Second Committee Member

Romulo, Chelsie L.

Third Committee Member

Anderson, Steven W.

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Document Type

Dissertation

Date Created

8-2025

Department

College of Education and Behavioral Sciences, Psychological Sciences, SPS Student Work

Abstract

Recruitment and retention continue to be a challenge for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) fields. Research shows that both cognitive and affective factors influence student learning, which can then shape academic and career choice. Therefore, my alternatively formatted dissertation includes three articles examining two STEM disciplines: geosciences and Interdisciplinary Environmental and Sustainability programs adding to prior research and further uncovering specific factors that could predict student educational and professional aspirations.

Regarding cognition, students often begin STEM courses with pre-existing mental frameworks, also referred to as schemas that are formed by their prior experiences. These schemas may conflict with established scientific concepts, limiting understanding, e.g., of complex systems, and affecting academic goals. Gaining this knowledge was the inspiration for the three studies that comprise my dissertation.

Study 1

The purpose of this research was to reveal how undergraduate students describe the relationships between climate change and the system and system components of the Food-Energy-Water (FEW) Nexus regarding causality, impacts, and feedback loops. We collected qualitative and quantitative data from 115 students at ten U.S. institutions offering a Bachelor of Science or Arts in environmental disciplines. Our goals were to:

G1.1 Uncover how students’ knowledge about the relationships between food, energy, and water systems relate to their understanding about climate change.

G2.1 Reveal what concepts students focus on and potential gaps and/or alternative conceptions in their knowledge.

We found that students in Interdisciplinary Environmental and Sustainability programs demonstrated alternative conceptions and knowledge gaps about the Food-Energy-Water Nexus and climate change, revealing three main theme categories that are the focus of student knowledge: (1) how the FEW Nexus causes climate change, (2) how climate change impacts the FEW Nexus, and (3) connecting causes and impacts: students’ understanding of feedback loops.

Study 2

Geoscience is a field struggling to attract and retain majors (e.g., Bernard & Cooperdock, 2018; LaDue & Pacheco, 2013; Viskupic et al., 2022). The purpose of the current research was to investigate preexisting (pre) geoscience interest/identity, end-of-semester (post) geoscience interest/identity, and transformative experience as predictors of geoscience academic and career choice controlling for geoscience self-efficacy. The specific research questions were:

Q3.1 Controlling for self-efficacy, is pre-geoscience interest/identity a significant predictor for geoscience academic/career choice?

Q3.2 Does transformative experience contribute significant variance in explaining geoscience academic/career choice beyond that accounted for by self-efficacy and pre-geoscience interest/identity?

Q3.3 Does post-geoscience interest/identity contribute significant variance in explaining geoscience academic/career choice beyond that accounted for by self-efficacy, pre-geoscience interest/identity, and transformative experience?

Q3.4 Are the relations of pre-geoscience interest/identity and transformative experience to geoscience academic/career choice fully or partially mediated through post-geoscience interest/identity?

We surveyed 60 students across three U.S. universities. Using hierarchical multiple regression, we found that self-efficacy, pre-geoscience interest/identity, transformative experience, and post-geoscience interest/identity predicted geoscience academic and career choices, explaining 69% of the variance. Stepwise regression showed that post-geoscience interest/identity fully mediated the relationships between pre-geoscience interest/identity, transformative experience, and academic/career choice.

Study 3

The purpose of the current research is to investigate the potential relation between motivation, transformative experience, conceptual change, and academic and career choice in the domain of geoscience.

This research was built upon the work in Chapter III by using a path analysis to investigate a model of relations between these study variables. Our Research Hypotheses included:

H3.1 As explained previously, we predict all the direct paths specified in Figure 4.1 will be statistically significant.

H3.2 Further, we predict the following indirect path, b*c (i.e., Pre-GII will predict ACC through Post-II).

H3.3 Further, we predict the following indirect path, d*e (i.e., Pre-GII will predict Post-GII through TE).

H3.4 Further, we predict the following indirect path, d*e (d*e*c (i.e., Pre-GII predict ACC through both TE and Post-II).

H3.5 Further, we predict the following indirect path, d*f (i.e., Pre-GII will predict ACC through TE).

H3.6 Further, we predict the following indirect path, d*k*i (i.e., Pre-GII will predict ACC through both TE and Post-GCI).

H3.7 Further, we predict the following indirect path, d*k (i.e., Pre-GII will predict Post-GCI through TE).

H3.8 Further, we predict the following indirect path, h*i (i.e., Pre-GCI will predict ACC through Post-GCI).

H3.9 Further, we predict the following indirect path, j*f (i.e., Pre-GCI will predict ACC through TE).

H3.10 Further, we predict the following indirect path, j*e*c (i.e., Pre-GCI will predict ACC through both TE and Post-II).

H3.11 Further, we predict the following indirect path, j*k*i (i.e., Pre-GCI will predict ACC through both TE and Post-GCI).

H3.12 Further, we predict the following indirect path, j*e (i.e., Pre-GCI will predict Post-GII through TE).

H3.13 Further, we predict the following indirect path, j*k (i.e., Pre-GCI will predict Post-GCI through TE).

The sample was comprised of 250 students, with 237 students being included in the gender analysis. We used path analysis to test the proposed model of relations. The path model explained 64% and 62% of the variance in academic/career choice for female and male students, respectively. Self-efficacy was a significant predictor of pre-interest/identity and pre-geoscience knowledge. Post interest/identity was a significant predictor of academic/career choice. Transformative experience was not a significant direct predictor of academic/career choice. However, transformative experience significantly explained the change from pre- to post-interest/identity and partially mediated the relationship between pre-interest/identity and academic/career choice. Geoscience knowledge did not significantly predict academic/career choice. These results were consistent for female and male students. Transformative experience partially mediated the relation between pre- and post-geoscience knowledge for female but not male students. When considered with prior research, these results suggest introductory geoscience instructors may be able to support geoscience academic and career choice by creating curricula and learning environments that foster self-efficacy, interest/identity, and transformative experiences. Although geoscience learning is important, it may not play a significant role in geoscience academic/career choice for introductory geoscience students.

Abstract Format

html

Places

Greeley, Colorado

Extent

192 pages

Rights Statement

Copyright is held by the author.

Digital Origin

Born digital

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