First Advisor

Erin Shortlidge

Date of Award

Spring 6-16-2024

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Chemistry and University Honors

Department

Chemistry

Language

English

Subjects

Belonging, perception, value, belonging intervention, belonging activity

DOI

10.15760/honors.1564

Abstract

With the prioritization of increasing Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) graduates in the United States, researchers have become increasingly interested in how to promote STEM students' sense of belonging. Sense of belonging is considered a marker of persistence in STEM. Facilitated 'belonging interventions' are one way to strengthen a sense of belonging amongst STEM students. How students respond to, value, and understand these belonging interventions is relatively understudied. In this study, focus groups were conducted with STEM students from a single university to investigate how they value an in-class belonging activity. Qualitative thematic coding of focus group responses revealed three emergent themes including Value of the Activity, Accepting the System "As-Is," and Unsafe Pedagogy. Moving forward with the study includes data analysis for subthemes and follow-up interviews with focus group participants.

Rights

In Copyright. URI: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).

Persistent Identifier

https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/42166

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