Beyond Academic Math and Science: The Role of Applied Engineering and Computer Science in the High School Curriculum

该项目将对被跟踪进入大学的学生的大规模纵向调查数据进行二次分析，以探索青少年在高中学习的应用工程和计算机科学课程的类型，以及这些课程在多大程度上有助于促进科学、技术、工程和数学（STEM）领域的职业发展。该分析将使研究人员和政策制定者了解高中应用工程课程对数学成绩、大学学习领域和与STEM应用相关的工作的影响程度。此次研究将分析NCES主办的2002年全国10年级代表性研究“ELS:2002”。大约14000名学生的完整成绩单样本将使用五项数学成就分数（10年级）和第一次随访（12年级）进行分析。这项研究将为高中的STEM课程提供一个新的描述性概述，并对应用数学和科学的有效性进行计量经济学测试。他们将应用多元、准实验回归技术。本研究的结果将为理论和实践问题提供答案。从理论上讲，这项研究将表明，在高中期间学习的非学术性课程实际上在多大程度上创造了学生的数学知识，这些知识将在以后的学校和工作生活中应用。在实践中，这项研究将为教育工作者提供证据，证明非学术性课程对以后发展的价值。如果研究发现非学术性高中课程与学术性培训一样有影响力，那么职业教育领域将特别感兴趣。然而，如果这项全国性的研究表明，只有学术课程才能为任何成人应用提供必要的数学背景，那么学校政策可能会受到鼓励，以改善所有学生接受学术培训的机会。

The project will conduct a secondary analysis of large scale longitudinal survey data of students who have been followed into college to explore the types of applied engineering and computer science courses that youth take in high school, and the extent to which these courses help promote advancement toward careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The analysis will inform researchers and policy makers about the extent to which high school course taking in applied engineering influences math achievement, fields of college study, and jobs with STEM applications. The study will analyze the study known as ELS:2002 which is a nationally representative study of 10th-graders in 2002 sponsored by NCES. A sample of approximately 14,000 students with full transcripts will be analyzed using five Math Achievement scores (10th grade) and first follow-up (12th grade). The study will provide a new descriptive overview of the STEM course taking in high school and an econometric test of the efficacy of applied math and science. They will apply multivariate, quasi-experimental regression techniques. The results of this study will provide answers to both a theoretical and a practical question. For theory, the study will indicate the extent to which learning in non-academic courses during high school years actually create student knowledge in mathematics that will be applied later in their school and work life. For practice, the study will provide evidence for educators about the value of non-academic courses for later development. If the study finds that non-academic high school courses are as influential as academic training, then the fields of vocational education will be especially interested. If however this national study shows that only academic courses provide the requisite background in mathematics for any adult application, then the school policies might be encouraged to improve the access of all students to academic training.