Conceptualizing and investigating student pathways into secondary STEM-CTE concentrations

Date

2021-12

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Abstract

STEM-CTE in American high schools constitutes a set of curricula aimed at preparing students for high paying, in demand occupations. Scholars have observed that the number of concentrators in these pathways have grown over time though the demographics of students who enroll continue to skew White, male, and from higher income families. From the federal policy point-of-view, STEM-CTE emerged as a unique construct in in the mid-2010s as K-12 STEM education and CTE policies seem to be intertwined in policy intent. Little is known about the conditions under which this policy window emerge or the motivational factors which influence students to pursue such pathways. This dissertation consists of three manuscripts investigating these issues. The first contains an historical policy analysis applying Kingdon’s policy window framework to investigate how federal K-12 STEM education and CTE policies have changed over time and to explain how the current policy window enables these policy windows to intertwine in 2021. The second manuscript uses data from the High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 to investigate the motivational factors which influence students to concentrate in these pathways through the lens of Expectancy-Value Theory (EVT). The third manuscript builds from the second by administering a new survey instrument, also designed with EVT, to investigate the degree to which technology-related measures are associated with intent to concentrate in a STEM-CTE pathway relative to the math and science items included in the High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 survey instrument. The results indicate that the STEM-CTE policy window resulted from the need to address existing workforce supply issues framed as a matter of national defense. Issues relevant at the school and classroom level (equitable access and defining the appropriate skills to teach) and not addressed by federal policy. More research is needed to define the variety of curriculum enacted as part of STEM-CTE, and the institutional systems and supports which could address issues beyond the federal policy. While the math and science motivational factors were largely not associated with increased odds of STEM-CTE concentration, additional research should continue to pursue applying EVT to investigate why certain groups of students choose certain CTE pathways.


Embargo status: Restricted until 01/2023. To request the author grant access, click on the PDF link to the left.

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Keywords

Career and Technical Education, Education Policy, STEM Education

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