Research on differences in STEM outcomes for females and students of color has been an ongoing educational research imperative, but Latinas continue to be under-represented in high school and college science classes and majors (National Science Foundation, 2011; Riegle-Crumb & King, 2010). The aim of this study was to investigate how Latina adolescents seek to establish themselves as future scientists within their environments and how others help sustain these developing identities. I used a mixed method procedure called an exploratory sequential design that starts with a qualitative stage followed by a quantitative stage (Creswell & Plano Clark, 2007). In the qualitative stage, 32 college-aged Latinas in science majors participated in focus groups with an additional 12 in interviews. Using Interactive Qualitative Analysis (Northcutt & McCoy, 2004), eight factors of science identity development were identified: home environment, teacher influences, school experiences, environmental factors, media influences, using your brain, emotions, and career planning. Participants saw the first four factors as drivers of their development, with media as an irregular contributor. These social factors were filtered through the individual factors of using your brain and emotions, with career planning as the outcome. The qualitative results were used to develop a survey given to middle school students in the next stage. The majority of the survey consisted of previously validated scales that corresponded in content to the qualitative factors. One new measure was developed to address science-related experiences. In the quantitative stage, 90 middle school Latinas from two central Texas school districts participated in the survey study. Univariate analysis showed differences in science-related experiences by demographic variables of parent occupation, parent nativity, first language spoken, and school district. Multivariate regression analysis found positive emotions about science to be the best predictor of science career related outcomes, and that emotions act as a mediator between science experiences and career outcomes. These results are discussed in light of current career theories. / text

Thesis advisor: Michael Russell / This paper describes the construct of fascination in science, a non-cognitive trait combining interest, curiosity, and mastery skills, and the particular relevance of fascination in science for students during middle school. Grounded in the theory of Science Learning Activation and employing data from the longitudinal Activated Learning Enables Success study of 2014 (ALES:14), cohorts of sixth and eighth graders were measured on fascination five times over two school years, allowing for an investigation of change over time. Multilevel models were constructed for each grade-level cohort in an effort to determine patterns of change, while also testing for relationships with several student-level characteristics and class-level instructional variables. Results suggest discontinuous patterns of change in fascination, with declining fascination scores in grade 6 boosted over the summer break and declining fascination scores in grade 8 rising the following school year. While the impact of instructional variables was negligible, relationships with several individual covariates were observed, primarily indicating the importance of family support for science. Future research should focus on context-specific elements of in-school activities, along with additional out-of-school factors that may influence fascination. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2022. / Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education. / Discipline: Educational Research, Measurement and Evaluation.

This thesis provides an overview of Czech astronomy education both inside and outside of school environment and develops methods to explore its possible influence on science career decision. A mixed approach was chosen for the research. Based on the first qualitative part, hypotheses and specified research questions were formulated. Consequently, the hypotheses were examined using questionnaires distributed to students of several Czech universities. However, the data analysis showed a variable stronger than involvement in astronomy education - the breadth of science interest. Possible practical outcomes and recommendations for future research are discussed.

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