ry School of Education at the University of Robert H. Tai Assistant Professor of Science Education September 22, 2006 Planning Early for Careers in Science
Feb 08, 2016
Curry School of Education at the University of Virginia
Robert H. TaiAssistant Professor of
Science Education
September 22, 2006
Planning Early for Careers in Science
Rising Above the Gathering Storm
National Research Council Report raises questions about the Unites States continuing to maintain its dominance as a world leader in science and technology
Figure 1: PhDs Awarded to US Residents
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Num
ber o
f PhD
s A
war
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Life Sciences
Physical Sciences
Engineering
Geosciences
Mathematics &Computer Science
Figure 2a: Percent of PhDs Awarded to US Residents
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hDs
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Figure 2b: Percent of PhDs Awarded to Non-US Residents
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What role does K-8 education have on national science
education policy?
Preparing the scientists of the future
What kind of work do you expect to be doing when you are 30 years old? (MARK THE ANSWER
THAT COMES CLOSEST TO WHAT YOU EXPECT TO BE DOING. IF YOU HAVE TWO OR THREE THINGS YOU THINK YOU MAY BE DOING, DO NOT CHOOSE MORE THAN ONE
ANSWER. INSTEAD, MAKE ONE BEST GUESS.)
What do you want to be when you grow up?
How important are students’ answers to this question?
How early in their lives do their answers have a lasting impact?
How could we find out the answers to these questions?
Collect a nationally representative sample of
thousands of students
Follow these students from middle school through college,
allowing a reasonable amount of time to earn college degrees
Account for students academic and personal
backgrounds including their parents’ backgrounds
Distinguish between Life Sciences
and Physical Sciences
Figure 1: Probabilities of Two Groups of 8th Graders in Earning a Baccalaureate Degree in Life Science
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Eighth Grade Mathematics Achievement (IRT-Scaled)
Pro
babi
lity
of E
arni
ng B
acca
laur
eate
Expectedscience-relatedfuture career
Did not expectscience-relatedfuture career
In the Life Sciences …Standardized mathematics achievement scores in 8th grade are NOT significant predictors of college degree concentrations in science
Figure 2: Probabilities of Two Groups of 8th Graders in Earning a Baccalaureate Degree in Physical Science
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Eighth Grade Mathematics Achievement (IRT-Scaled)
Pro
babi
lity
of E
arni
ng B
acca
laur
eate
Expectedscience-relatedfuture career
Did not expectscience-relatedfuture career
With average achievement
With above average achievementWith highest achievement
In the Physical Sciences …Standardized mathematics achievement scores in 8th grade ARE significant predictors of college degree concentrations in science, but …
Average achievers are more likely to earn degrees in physical science than the highest achievers when 8th grade career expectations are considered
Conclusions• Students’ future career aspirations in 8th
grade are a significant predictor of their likelihood to earn baccalaureate degrees in science-related fields
• Academic achievement is NOT as consistently significant as 8th grade career aspirations in predicting science – related college degree concentrations