Project to Assess Climate in Engineering (PACE): PACE Findings

Project to Assess Climate in Engineering (PACE):

PACE Findings

PACE Meeting at AAASMarch 17 & 18, 2010

Funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation

http://washington.edu/


Common Goals More Students

Recruited and Retained in Engineering

More Diverse Populations Underrepresented

Minorities Women



2008 Bachelor’s Degrees (ASEE)

African

Ameri

can

Asian A

merica

n

Hispan

ic

Native

Ameri

can

Cauca

sian

Foreign

Other

Female

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

70.0%

80.0%

ASEEPACE



Thinking Strategically Each school has unique

circumstances All schools have some

commonalities How do we learn from

each other to put all the pieces together and improve student retention?


PACE Goals Overall goal is to improve retention among all engineering

undergraduates Action steps to achieve this goal:

Data: Provide data that will help identify areas that require attention in order to improve academic climate

Benchmarking: Provide aggregated and institution-specific data organized by sex and racial/ethnic categories for purposes of benchmarking with peer institutions

Follow-ups: Conduct follow-ups with schools after receipt of the PACE Final report to track actions taken to improve the climate



PACE Schools


PACE Characteristics

(n = 22)

EWC Characteristics

(n = 350)Public University 77% 62%

Minority-Serving Institution 18% 9%Land Grant University 41% 19%

2000 CC Doctoral/Research Universities – Extensive

73% 37%

2005 Basic CC RU/VH: Research Universities (Very high research activity)

55% 25%

2005 Basic CC RU/H: Research Universities (High research activity)

32% 23%


PACE Schools


PACE Characteristics

(n = 22)

EWC Characteristics

(n = 350)Minimum Enrollment, All levels 1,904 76

Maximum Enrollment 50,995 50,995

Mean Enrollment 26,224 14,296


PACE Mixed-Mode Method Online survey

Sample: Current engineering students

Oversampled under-represented groups

38,376 students invited 10,554 completions Median response rate:

28% Final sample size of

10,366

On-site Interviews Sample: Current and

former engineering students

Oversampled under-represented groups

179 interviews completed at 16 schools, 124 current students and 55 former students



Survey Respondent Demographics


Male Female TOTAL

African American 209 164 373

Native American 86 53 139

Hispanic American 851 389 1,240

Hawaiian/Pacific Islander 17 18 35

White 3,321 2,994 6,315

Asian American 429 409 838

International 636 434 1,070

Unknown 88 62 150

Other 5 2 7

TOTAL 5,642 4,525 10,167


Respondent Representativeness


Male Female TOTAL

African American -0.80% +0.59% -0.21%

Native American +0.42% +0.40% +0.81%

Hispanic American +0.91% +1.89% +2.80%

Hawaiian/Pacific Islander +0.16% +0.17% +0.33%

White -22.21% +18.27% -4.38%

Asian American -2.85% +2.16% -0.68%

International +1.72% +3.30% +5.02%

Unknown -2.12% -0.04% -2.17%

Other -1.30% -0.24% -1.53%

TOTAL -26.51% +26.51%

Positive percentages indicate group is overrepresented among respondents while negative percentages indicate group is underrepresented among respondents.


Interviewee Demographics


Male Female TOTALLeavers Climate Leavers Climate

African American 3 7 1 5 16

Native American 0 2 0 2 4

Hispanic American 1 13 1 8 23

White 25 29 16 36 106

Asian American 3 5 2 9 19

Asian Indian 2 2 0 4 8

Other 0 0 1 2 3

SUB-TOTAL 34 58 21 66179TOTAL 92 87



Sneak Peek at New PACE Findings Intersection of Gender, Race/Ethnicity and

Student Experience Four main areas:

Professor-Student Interaction Student-Student Interaction Confidence Risk of Attrition



School Representation No one school accounts for more than 13

percent of the African American survey respondents and every school contributes to the number.

Hispanic American Survey Respondents: One school contributes 22 percent, two schools combined contribute 28 percent, and all other schools contribute to the Hispanic American survey respondent number.


Analysis Methods 2 x 2 Contingency Tables

5 point scales reduced to binary variables Chi-Square: Are two variables associated? Adjusted Residuals: Where is the association?

Values > |2| Odds Ratios: How strong is the association?

OR=1=no effect, OR>1=increase in odds, OR<1=decrease in odds




VariablesProfessor-Student Interaction Do your professors inspire you to study engineering? Are you comfortable asking questions in class? Do your professors care whether or not you learn the course

material?Student-Student Interaction Do you feel like you are part of an engineering community? Do other students take your comments/suggestions in class

seriously? Do students compete with each other in your classes? Do engineering students help each other succeed in class?



VariablesConfidence (Strongly Disagree, Somewhat Disagree, Neutral,

Somewhat Agree, Strongly Agree) I am confident in my ability to succeed in my college

engineering courses Risk of Attrition (Strongly Disagree, Somewhat Disagree,

Neutral, Somewhat Agree, Strongly Agree) I have no desire to declare a non-engineering major (e.g.

biology, theater, English, philosophy) I can think of other majors that I would like better than

engineering



Odds Ratios for Comparisons of Race Within Gender Category

Males Females

African American

Hispanic American

African American

Hispanic American

Inspire 0.62* 1.25* 0.55* 1.48* Comfortable 0.81 0.77* 0.93 0.74* Care Learning 0.81 0.94 0.60* 0.69* Community 0.81 1.06 0.63* 0.76* Take Seriously 0.64* 0.78* 0.53* 0.63* Compete 1.18 1.18 1.21 1.44* Help succeed 0.78 1.06 0.44* 0.85 Confidence in Engr 0.41* 0.78 0.80 1.06 No Desire Non-Engr 0.89 0.87 0.88 1.01 Like Other Majors Better 1.97* 0.94 1.34 0.97



Odds Ratios for Gender Comparisons within Race

African American

Hispanic American

White American

Inspire 0.86 1.12 0.97 Comfortable 0.74 0.63* 0.65* Care Learning 0.86 0.84 1.16* Community 1.27 1.13 1.60* Take Seriously 0.95 0.91 1.13* Compete 0.96 1.18 0.96 Help succeed 0.70 0.99 1.25* Confidence in Engr 0.84 0.58* 0.43* No Desire Non-Engr 0.67 0.79 0.68* Like Other Majors Better 0.92 1.39* 1.35*



Risk of Attrition Can think of other majors I

would like better Total

Disagree Agree No desire to declare another major

Disagree 802 (11%) 1196 (17%) 1998 Agree 3988 (56%) 1184 (16%) 5172 Total 4790 2380 7170


Conclusion, Race Differences Inspiration by professors operates differently for

Hispanics than for African Americans, compared to Whites

Minorities not taken seriously by peers, compared to Whites (true for men and women)

Greater disparities between females of different races than males of different races All related to professor-student and student-

student interaction




Conclusion, Gender Differences None among African Americans Among Hispanics, gender affects professor interaction,

confidence and risk of attrition Females less comfortable asking questions, less confident,

more likely to like other majors better. Among Whites, gender affects professor, student

interactions, confidence and risk of attrition Females more positive about student-student interaction,

believe professors care if they learn, like other majors better Females less comfortable asking questions, less confident,

less likely to say “no desire to declare non-engr major.



Take Away One “size” approach does NOT fit all. Risk of Attrition highest for: African American

Males, White women and Hispanic women. About 28 percent of students have some

desire to declare a non-engineering major



Plans for the Future What kinds of policies/programs will address

the findings discussed today? Multivariate analyses!! What does the rich pool of information from

the interviews tell us about these questions?



Thank you! For the time, energy and resources you have

committed to the PACE study. For your commitment to improving student

experiences and thus retention For your attendance at this important meeting


Retention ResultsI intend to complete my engineering degree

Strongly Disagree

Somewhat Disagree

Neutral Somewhat Agree

Strongly Agree

Male 1.6% .5% 2.3% 9.0% 86.5%

Female .9% .4% 2.3% 8.7% 87.6%



Retention Results


Long-term educational plans in engineeringBachelor’s

DegreeMaster’s Degree PhD

Male 43.8% 44.7% 11.65%Female 46.6% 42.9% 10.5%

African American 40.6% 47.3% 12.0%Asian American 44.2% 42.5% 13.3%Hispanic 37.8% 47.0% 15.1%Native American 44.2% 42.1% 13.7%White 49.1% 42.3% 8.6%


Retention ResultsHow long do you see yourself working as an engineer?

1-5 Years

6-10 Years

11-15 Years

16-20 Years

20+ Years

Male 10.5% 9.5% 7.7% 11.0% 61.2%

Female 10.6% 13.1% 10.5% 14.7% 51.1%

African American 12.5% 15.4% 12.1% 15.8% 44.3%

Asian American 20.6% 13.8% 9.6% 10.7% 45.3%

Hispanic 8.3% 7.5% 7.5% 14.1% 62.6%

Native American 9.6% 11.7% 9.6% 16.0% 53.2%

White 8.6% 10.6% 8.7% 12.7% 59.5%



Quality of Teaching


Females vs.

Males

African Americans

vs. Whites

Hispanics vs. Whites

Native Americans

vs. Whites

Quality of teaching in engineering courses

AA(-.20)

Quality of teaching in math courses

H(.11)

NA(.17)

Quality of teaching in humanities/social science courses

F(.08)

AA(.17)

NA(.32)

dCohen in parentheses


Professors


Females vs.

Males

African Americans

vs. Whites


Native Americans

vs. Whites

Able to understand course material

F(-.13)

AA(-.38)

H(-.13)

Comfortable asking questions in class

F(-.24)

H(-.12)

Think you have a lower ability than you do

F(-.05)

Understand what professors expect of you

F(.09)

AA(-.14)

Inspire you to study engineering

AA(-.28)

H(.15)


Professors


Females vs.

Males

African Americans

vs. Whites


Native Americans

vs. Whites

Keep the office hours they set

F(-.05)

AA(-.13)

H(-.07)

NA(-.18)

Meet with your professors for extra help

F(.15)

AA(.31)

H(.18)

Move through the course material too quickly

AA(.33)

H(.20)

Feel overwhelmed by the amount of homework

F(.16)

AA(.13)

Accents make it difficult to understand

F(.05)

AA(-.16)


Teaching Assistants


Females vs.

Males

African Americans

vs. Whites


Native Americans

vs. Whites

Cultural differences made you less likely to meet with TAs

AA(-.23)

H(-.20)

Comfortable meeting with TAs for help

F(.04)

AA(.15)

Accents make it difficult to understand

AA(-.30)

H(-.20)


Student Interaction


Females vs.

Males

African Americans

vs. Whites


Native Americans

vs. Whites

Group projects valuable H(.09)

Feel like part of an engineering community

F(.23)

AA(-.13)

Like studying with other students in a group

F(.09)

H(.15)

Involved with student study groups

F(.19)

H(.11)

Engineering students help each other succeed

F(.11)

AA(-.23)

NA(-.25)


Student Interaction


Females vs.

Males

African Americans

vs. Whites


Native Americans

vs. Whites

Other students take your comments seriously

F(.05)

AA(-.25)

H(-.13)

Students compete with each other in class

H(.12)

Compared to other students, my engineering abilities are…

F(-.27)

AA(-.46)

H(-.15)

NA(-.23)


Perceptions of Engineering Careers


Females vs.

Males

African Americans

vs. Whites


Native Americans

vs. Whites

Engineers are well-paid F(.23)

H(-.15)

Engineers can leave and come back more easily than in other professions

AA(.14)

H(.10)

Engineering supports people who want to have children and work

F(-.32)

AA(-.11)

NA(-.19)

Society values the work engineers do

F(.13)

H(-.09)


Perceptions of Engineering Careers


Females vs.

Males

African Americans

vs. Whites


Native Americans

vs. Whites

Engineers help make the world a better place

H(.10)

Expect that engineering will be a rewarding career

H(.20)

Will have no problem finding a job with an engineering degree

H(-.14)

NA(-.22)


Confidence in Ability to Succeed


Females vs.

Males

African Americans

vs. Whites


Native Americans

vs. Whites

In engineering courses F(-.24)

AA(-.11)

In science courses F(-.17)

NA(-.18)

In math courses F(-.05)

H(.07)

In humanities/social science courses

F(.08)

In overall academic ability F(-.14)

AA(-.12)


Engineering Major


Females vs.

Males

African Americans

vs. Whites


Native Americans

vs. Whites

No desire to declare a non-engineering major

F(-.15)

NA(-.20)

Can think of other majors I would like better than engineering

F(.12)

AA(.19)

It is my choice to study engineering

F(-.09)

Intend to complete my degree

F(-.06)



Personal Experience: Race African American respondents were more than 30

times more likely than Whites to say they had been singled out because of race.

Hispanic respondents were nearly five times more likely than Whites to say they had been singled out because of race.

Native American respondents were nearly seven times more likely than Whites to say they had been singled out because of race.



Personal Experience: Sex Females were nearly 20 times more likely than males

to report they had been singled out because of gender.

Females were more than three times more likely than males to report they had heard faculty express gendered stereotypes.

Females were more than five times more likely than males to report they had been sexually harassed by an engineering student.


Take-Away One “size” does NOT fit all

Women: Confidence, ability comparison, family friendly perceptions, engr. community

African Americans: classroom issues, ability comparison, help others succeed,

Hispanic/Latino: no medium to strong effects Native American: help others succeed, ability

comparison, job prospects



Project to Assess Climate in Engineering (PACE): PACE Findings

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