Arnav Patwardhan

The Role of Teacher-Student Interactions in the Development of Student Confidence in STEM Classrooms

Started Mar. 16, 2022

Abstract or project description

There is a widespread issue in STEM where females experience limited representation in certain fields like engineering, math and computer science. This research project examines the role that students in a New Jersey public high school believe teachers play in their desire to pursue more advanced STEM studies. Previous research studies have found a difference between genders in their desire to pursue STEM studies and careers, with teachers playing a role in the development of this interest. Studies have shown that teachers have demonstrated implicit bias against females in STEM classes and particularly in math, engineering, and computer science classes. On the other hand, teachers who have encouraged girls to pursue more advanced STEM studies have been correlated with positive outcomes. My research question is: How do male and female high school students in this New Jersey public high school describe their learning experiences in STEM classes? Further, do these students believe their STEM classroom learning experiences have helped them develop their confidence in pursuing more advanced STEM studies? The experiences of male versus female students will be examined. After receiving administrator and parent permissions, I will launch a pilot survey. After the pilot, I will make any necessary refinements before launching the final online survey to a sample size of approximately 100 students at this high school. I have already conducted and written a preliminary literature review that discusses the role of parents, teachers, peers, and spatial skills as they relate to gender differences in girls’ and boys’ confidence and anxiety levels when it comes to STEM. Positive teacher interactions have been found to boost their interest in STEM subjects and seems to be covered less in the literature than the parental role. For these reasons, STEM classroom learning experiences, including teacher-student interactions, will be examined in this study.