STEM Studies

Carter, C., Bishop, J., & Kravitz, S.L. (2011). Key to Effective Learning: Study Skills and Habits

Alumni of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) are concerned about the inadequate representation of minorities in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) related professions. Consequently, DCHBCUAA STEM professionals have designed and organized an instructional hands-on workshop for students in grades 10-12. The workshop is designed to increase their awareness of the exciting opportunities available in the sciences and to provide an opportunity for students to talk to subject matter experts currently working in STEM occupations.

In the article, “Why we undervalue a liberal arts education”, written by Adam Chapnick posted March 6, 2013 explains people to understand the importance of liberal arts degrees. He wants people to how the importance is the same as STEM degrees. Most people believe STEM degrees are not successful life choices. He believes people don’t know what they learned so they need to teach liberal arts better and different so the people who graduate actually know what they learned. This article is not a credible source it is just his claims. Adam Chapnick’s article “Why we undervalue a liberal arts education,” needs more facts and reasons to back up his claims because his article is not factual mostly opinionated and to be credible facts must back up

In the book, How to Get A’s in College: Hundreds of Student Tested Tips, college students share their positive and negative study habits and tricks they use to make the most of their study time.

Foundation requests funds for our STEM initiative to give underserved kids in disadvantaged neighborhoods the opportunity to participate in STEM programs and increase the number of minority and at-risk youth pursuing higher education and careers in STEM-related fields. We know this is an important step in preparing school-age children to start thinking about educational attainment and their future career paths. The U.S. Department of Commerce projects that STEM occupations will grow by 17 percent from 2008 to 2018, compared to 9.8 percent growth for non-STEM occupations. In addition, STEM workers command higher wages, earning 26 percent more than their non-STEM counterparts.

This book is a well-known textbook concentrating on learning how to form effective study skills. This textbook is used in training entry-level college students on how to develop good study habits. This book was written by Carter, Bishop, and Kravits which are well known authors in the circle of education. This book was found in the e-Book section in

STEM is the study of Science, Engineering, Technology and Mathematics. These subjects are stereotypical of male dominated subjects leaving the women in health sciences and the arts.

All throughout elementary school and middle school, I was always one of those students who simply floated through every class. Despite holding quality grades in the most challenging classes offered, I never in my life had genuinely sat down to study. In fact, just the concept in itself was entirely foreign to me up until high school. This terrible habit is likely one that would have stuck with me not only throughout the rest of my academic career, but my entire life had it not been for Ms. Cohen’s formulaic comments.

Practicing more of time control, classroom note taking, and textbook studying will all increase the chance of academic success. Managing your time effectively will prevent you from letting time pass by. Showing up

* this study is to provide awareness and better understanding of how their current study habits affected their academic performance to 1st year college students

In order to do well in school, students must develop good study habits.  The better study habits a student has, the better grades that he or she will receive.  Good study habits include time-management and being able to identify when outside factors are distracting to their studying.  Kotsopoulou and Hallam (2010) have found that students are aware of the effects of playing music while studying and seem to know which tasks will be adversely affected; they become increasingly aware as they grow older.  Students' study habits vary due to different preferences in learning-styles.  College freshmen with low GPAs preferred learning challenging material with some sort of sound in the environment like music or conversation (Reese & Dunn, 2007).  On the other hand, freshmen with high GPAs preferred learning alone, usually in silence, or with an authoritative figure.

To achieve good grades in high school a person must be disciplined in their study habits. Once a person reaches high school these habits must be ingrained into the personality of the young person so that they are second nature or it is to late.

A great deal of students don’t develop effective study habits and this ultimately results in feeling a decreased sense of self-esteem, stress, disorganisation, poor academic success, and a negative sense of self-efficacy which is linked to poor self-control (Pychyl & Dann, 2010). This is primarily caused by procrastinating. Procrastination is delaying an activity that possesses important benefits for us in the long-term but is voluntarily delayed in the short-term because of short-term impulsive temptations which offer greater immediate rewards (Steel, 2007). I chose to modify this problematic target behaviour because it was where I exercised poor self-control.

The research question that I would like to explore is “What is the relationship between attitudes towards grades and study habits?” This topic can be categorized under the Sociological concepts; deviance and social norms. In society, there is an emphasis on getting an education (which correlates with getting good grades), in order to earn a reasonable amount of money at the very least. If someone attends school just to get a passing grade nor do they study, they could be considered deviant. People should care about this topic because grades are a major part of getting an education. Grades represent acceptance from society, loved ones, and one’s self. Some people may come from a poor socioeconomic background so acquiring good grades are vital for success, whereas a wealthy person probably attends school because they would like to get the experience. Many just like to learn, as some may have the finances to attend college, or those who don’t have the funds value education so much that they are willing to take out loans. Individuals might study intensely because they are aware that money is coming out of their pockets. Some students work and/or have children so perhaps expect to receive a certain grade. It is important for professors to be aware of the study habits of their

The purpose of our research group is to identify issues that students are having with studying. Our team collected research for our literature review and evaluated challenges within student study habits. Distractions, stress and different learning styles were the main struggles that students deal with when studying. We than conducted two peer focus groups to gain insight to issues that actual students were having when studying. Both of these methods of research were completed in order to pinpoint important issues that students were having with studying and create a product that assists student study habits.