Developing a Measure of STEM Identity and Balance

以前的研究表明，强大的科学，技术，工程和数学（STEM）身份预示着STEM学科的持久性和成功。 个人认同自己与干不同程度上取决于他们的看法干和他们的其他重要身份。该项目将增加研究人员可用的工具，通过开发，试点和测试新的测量工具和分析方法来测量STEM身份，其他身份和身份平衡。大约300名STEM专业的学生，来自代表性不足的群体和传统上在STEM中有良好代表性的群体，将从三个加州州立大学校区（圣马科斯、长滩、北岭）招募到该项目中。新的测量工具将使研究人员能够更好地了解STEM身份的发展，并有望导致更有效的干预措施，以增加和扩大STEM的参与。测量工具的设计基于社会认同和平衡认同理论，旨在回答一系列关于STEM认同及其与其他自我认同平衡的研究问题。 该项目将测试这种新工具的有效性和可靠性，用于测量STEM身份和STEM身份随时间的发展。这项研究可以促进对扩大STEM领域参与所需干预措施的了解。 该项目由EHR核心研究（ECR）计划资助，该计划资助基础研究，旨在理解、建立理论来解释并提出干预措施（和创新），以解决STEM兴趣、教育、学习和参与方面的持续挑战。

Previous research has demonstrated that a strong Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) identity predicts persistence and success in STEM disciplines. Individuals identify themselves with STEM to varying degrees depending on their perceptions of STEM and their other important identities. This project will add to the tools available to researchers to measure STEM-identity, other identities, and identity balance by developing, piloting and testing a new measurement instrument and analytic approach. Approximately 300 STEM majors, from underrepresented groups and from groups traditionally well represented in STEM, will be recruited into the project from three California State University campuses (San Marcos, Long Beach, Northridge). The new measurement tool will allow researchers to better understand STEM identity development and is expected to lead to more effective interventions to increase and broaden participation in STEM. The measurement instrument design is based on social identity and balanced identity theories and is intended to answer a range of research questions about STEM-identity and its balance with other self-identities. This project will test the validity and reliability of this new tool for measuring STEM-identity and the development of STEM-identity over time. This study could advance knowledge about interventions needed to broaden participation in STEM fields. The project is funded by the EHR Core Research (ECR) program, which funds basic research that seeks to understand, build theory to explain, and suggest interventions (and innovations) to address persistent challenges in STEM interest, education, learning, and participation.