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

该项目将对进入大学的学生进行大规模纵向调查数据的二级分析，以探索年轻人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他们在科学、技术、工程和数学(STEM)领域的职业发展。这项分析将向研究人员和政策制定者通报高中应用工程课程对数学成绩、大学学习领域和STEM应用工作的影响程度。这项研究将分析这项名为ELS：2002的研究，这是一项由NCES在2002年赞助的具有全国代表性的10年级学生研究。大约14,000名拥有完整成绩单的学生的样本将使用五个数学成就分数(10年级)和第一次跟进(12年级)进行分析。这项研究将对高中的STEM课程进行新的描述性概述，并对应用数学和科学的有效性进行计量经济学测试。他们将应用多变量、准实验回归技术。这项研究的结果将为一个理论和实践问题提供答案。在理论上，这项研究将表明在高中阶段学习非学术课程在多大程度上实际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。在实践方面，这项研究将为教育工作者提供关于非学术课程的价值的证据，供以后开发。如果研究发现，非学历高中课程的影响力不亚于学历培训，那么职业教育领域将会特别感兴趣。然而，如果这项国家研究表明，只有学术课程才能为任何成人申请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.