INSEAD Library

Includes bibliographical references and index

Digitized

Talking about Leaving Why Undergraduates Leave the Sciences Contents Tables Figures Acknowledgments 1 Overview Background to the Study Reasons for Attrition among S.M.E. Majors Study Objectives Method of Inquiry Additional Data and Validity Checks Method of Ethnographic Data Analysis Overview of Findings The Loss of Able Students from S.M.E. Majors Differences Between Institutions in Student Concerns and Reasons for Switching Differences Between Students Entering Engineering And Those Entering Science or Mathematics Notes 2 Entering S.M.E. Majors: Choice and Preparation Choosing S.M.E. Majors and Careers The Active Influence of Others Intrinsic Interest Altruism The Uninformed Choice Too Little or Too Much Choice Materialism and Pragmatism Gender Differences in Reasons for Choosing S.M.E. Majors Reasons for Choosing S.M.E. Majors: Significance for Persistence High School Preparation Failure to Learn Good Study Skills and Habits Notes ix xi xii 1 1 8 13 24 28 29 30 35 40 41 50 53 53 56 66 68 69 72 72 77 78 78 84 87 vi Contents 3 The Learning Experience in S.M.E. Majors The 'Hardness' of Science The Nature of Conceptual Difficulties Problems of Curriculum Pace and Work Load Other Perspectives on the 'Hardness' of S.M.E. Majors The Significance of Grades The Competitive Culture The Weed-Out Tradition The Unsupportive Culture Teaching and Learning Problems with Faculty Pedagogy Experiences with Teaching Assistants Language Problems with Teaching Assistants Students' Suggestions for the Improvement of S.M.E. Pedagogy Training and Planning for Undergraduate Teaching The Structure and Content of a Well-Taught Class The Good Teacher Collaborative Learning Loss of Interest and the Appeal of Other Majors Notes 4 Career and Lifestyle, Time and Money Considerations of Career and Lifestyle What Students are Rejecting Shift to a More Appealing Non-S.M.E. Career Option What Students are Looking For Wanting to Become a Teacher The Profit-to-Grief Ratio Financial Problems and their Consequences Problems with the Length of S.M.E. Majors Playing the System The Choice of Graduate School Conclusions Notes 5 Issues of Gender Explaining Women's Under-Participation in the Sciences: Puzzles and Clues Gender, Student Concerns and Switching Decisions Differential Impact of the Weed-Out System 88 88 88 92 99 106 115 122 133 145 146 158 163 165 166 167 170 172 177 183 184 184 184 191 191 197 201 206 215 222 224 228 230 231 231 236 237 Contents vii Differences in Evaluation of the Learning Experience Gender Differences in Other Student Concerns The Experiences of Women in S.M.E. Majors The Legacy of Pre-College Socialization Negative Experiences with S.M.E. Faculty Negative Attitudes and Behavior of Male Peers Explaining What Women Experience in S.M.E. Majors What Women Seek and May Not Find in S.M.E. Majors The Role of the Traditional S.M.E. System in the Loss of Able Women: A Summary Feeling That "It's Okay to Leave" The Ghost of Darwin Versus the Feminist Critique The Prospect of a Dual Career: Work and Family What Helps Women Persist in S.M.E. Majors Individual Coping Skills Bonding to Other Women in S.M.E. Majors Faculty Women and Other Role Models and Mentors Creating a Comfortable Climate for Women in S.M.E. Majors Larger Issues and Unanswered Questions Notes 6 Issues of Race and Ethnicity Comparisons of Students of Color with White Students Inappropriate Choice Inadequate High School Preparation Under-Prepared and Over-Confident Problems Unique to Students of Color Patterns of Socialization and Ethnic Cultural Values Cultural Variations in Educational Socialization Ethnic Cultural Values Obligation to Serve Community Obligation to be a Role Model Conflict Between Academic and Family Responsibilities Educational Goals Defined by Parents Cultural Restraints on Self-Assertiveness Self-Reliance and Autonomy Cultural Variations in Peer Group Success Norms Internalization of Negative Stereotypes and its Consequences Degree of Ethnic Isolation and Perceptions of Prejudice Minority Group Enrollment Levels and Perceptions of Racism 239 239 240 240 243 248 255 265 274 276 284 290 294 294 298 301 308 313 317 319 322 324 327 328 329 330 334 337 337 340 341 344 346 347 349 354 362 366 viii Contents "Minority Programs" Academic Assistance Advising and Counseling Programs Orientation Programs Retention Programs Conclusions 7 Some Conclusions and Their Implications Notes Appendix A: Figures Appendix B: Topics Explored in Interviews and Focus Groups Bibliography Name Index Subject Index About the Book and Authors 376 377 380 382 383 385 391 397 398 401 403 423 425 430