Improving Recruiting and Retention: A Study of Middle School Students Entering Technology/Engineering Programs

1. Improving Recruiting and Retention:A Study of Middle School Students Entering Technology/Engineering Programs Paulina Ciccone Amanda Smith Denny Yee

2. Outline • Project Goal • Literature Review • Methodology • Data Analysis • Conclusions and Recommendations • Summary • Acknowledgements

3. Project Goal To improve mathematics interest and skill, especially among females and minorities, at Forest Grove Middle School.

4. Forest Grove Middle School • 7th and 8th grades • 4 clusters per grade • 900 students • Gender ratio ~50/50 • 48% minority –mainly Hispanic

5. Pre-engineering Program • One 8th grade cluster • Focus on math and science • Offered as school choice • Feeds Doherty High Pre-Engineering Pipeline

6. Literature Review • Student interest and success • Use math in everyday activities • Provide role models • Set expectations and goals • Encourage • Parental involvement • Improve communication • Offer school programs

7. Literature Review (Cont’d.) • Differences in approach to mathematics • Gender • Socialization-Math is “unfeminine” • Different responses to middle school environment • Performance anxiety • Race/ethnicity • Lack of role models • Fear of being alone in advanced classes • Low self-esteem from stereotypes

8. Methodology • Student surveys • Parent focus groups and phone surveys • Teacher interviews • Analysis of Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) data

9. Methodology (Cont’d) • Conducted 419 student surveys • Total of 24 classes • 1 at each level from each teacher • Spoke with 14 parents • 6 engineering (focus group) • 8 non-engineering (phone survey)

10. Methodology (Cont’d.) • Interviewed 8 teachers • Entire math department • Discussed methods and attitudes • Analyzed 2001 MCAS breakdown • Average scores by gender and ethnicity • Multiple-choice item analysis

11. Data Analysis • Student survey - frequency analysis • Teacher interviews - content analysis for themes • MCAS data • Multiple-choice questions - percentage of students choosing each answer • Breakdown - graphed by gender, ethnicity, socio-economic status • Parent focus groups • Discussion transcripts - content analysis for themes • Survey - frequency analysis

16. Sample MCAS 2001 Multiple-Choice Questions 2. Which is the best approximation of √72? • 7.2 (31%) • 9.1 (8%) • 8.9 (16%) • 8.5 (42%) • So far this term, Calvin has these scores on quizzes: 81, 86, 96, 93, 84 There are two remaining quizzes. What is the lowest mean score he can get on these two quizzes in order to have an overall mean score of 90? • 95 (32%) • 89 (21%) • 92 (24%) • 97 (21%)

17. Conclusions and Recommendations • Lack of communication • Parent manuals • By chapter or grading quarter • Monthly meetings to supplement written guides • Better and more personal communication • More promotion of available programs • Personal notes home

18. Conclusions and Recommendations • Genders differ in attitudes rather than abilities • College mentors • Job-shadowing • Lack of motivation in Level 1 • Peer/honors tutors • Homework groups

19. Conclusions and Recommendations • Reading comprehension • Math language • Vocabulary exercises • “Match the number with the appropriate vocabulary word. 1 2/3 numerator______ denominator______ whole number______” • Open Response Questions • More word problems in class • Encourage students not to leave items blank

20. Summary Forest Grove Middle School should: • Improve communication • Provide appropriate role models • Encourage working together • Use vocabulary exercises

21. Acknowledgements • Principal D. Kelley • Mr. R. Krikorian • Dr. J. Caradonio • Vice Principal J. O’Malley • Prof. J. McNeill • Prof. E. Loiacono • Prof. L. Schachterle • Prof. J. R. Krueger • Prof. J. Anderson • Dr. S. Blaisdell • Mr. E. Santiago • Staff of Forest Grove Middle School

22. Any Questions???