Females in STEM: A qualitative study on the impacts of professional learning communities

Abstract

Underrepresentation of females in college science, technology, engineering, and math impacts college graduation rates, pay disparity of females, and the local and global workforce. Research offers one concept, sense of belonging, as vital to motivation of and persistence in major. To address a sense of belonging for this population, some universities offer professional and living learning communities to increase feelings of welcoming and inclusion. This qualitative study examined three learning communities, Women in STEM, computer science, and aerospace and their impacts on student sense of belonging and persistence in major as revealed by the participants’ survey responses. This study sought to add to current literature by uncovering components of the learning communities cited as most important in impacting feeling welcomed and included and the decision to remain in the major. Persistence in major was reported by all but one respondent, and an inductive approach to themes across the board fell in these categories: faculty, clubs, peers, research and internship opportunities, and curriculum. WISTEM and Computer Science shared the theme of clubs/socials as relevant to feeling welcomed and included in the program. Peers and professors were themes among all 3 PLCs as they pertain to feeling welcomed, and Computer Science listed professors for both impacting sense of belonging and remaining in the major.