Improving Recruiting and Retention:Improving Recruiting and Retention:A Study of Middle School Students A Study of Middle School Students Entering Technology/Engineering Entering Technology/Engineering

ProgramsPrograms

Paulina CicconePaulina Ciccone

Amanda SmithAmanda Smith

Denny YeeDenny Yee

OutlineOutline

Project GoalProject Goal Literature ReviewLiterature Review MethodologyMethodology Data AnalysisData Analysis Conclusions and RecommendationsConclusions and Recommendations SummarySummary AcknowledgementsAcknowledgements

Project GoalProject Goal

To improve mathematics To improve mathematics interest and skill, especially interest and skill, especially among females and minorities, among females and minorities, at Forest Grove Middle School.at Forest Grove Middle School.

Forest Grove Middle SchoolForest Grove Middle School

77thth and 8 and 8thth grades grades 4 clusters per grade4 clusters per grade 900 students900 students Gender ratio ~50/50Gender ratio ~50/50 48% minority –mainly Hispanic48% minority –mainly Hispanic

Pre-engineering ProgramPre-engineering Program

One 8One 8thth grade cluster grade cluster Focus on math and scienceFocus on math and science Offered as school choice Offered as school choice Feeds Doherty High Pre-Engineering Feeds Doherty High Pre-Engineering

PipelinePipeline

Literature ReviewLiterature Review

Student interest and successStudent interest and success Use math in everyday activities Use math in everyday activities Provide role modelsProvide role models Set expectations and goalsSet expectations and goals EncourageEncourage

Parental involvementParental involvement Improve communicationImprove communication Offer school programsOffer school programs

Literature Review (Cont’d.)Literature Review (Cont’d.)

Differences in approach to mathematicsDifferences in approach to mathematics GenderGender

Socialization-Math is “unfeminine” Socialization-Math is “unfeminine” Different responses to middle school Different responses to middle school

environmentenvironment Performance anxietyPerformance anxiety

Race/ethnicityRace/ethnicity Lack of role modelsLack of role models

Fear of being alone in advanced classesFear of being alone in advanced classes Low self-esteem from stereotypesLow self-esteem from stereotypes

MethodologyMethodology

Student surveysStudent surveys Parent focus groups and phone Parent focus groups and phone

surveyssurveys Teacher interviewsTeacher interviews Analysis of Massachusetts Analysis of Massachusetts

Comprehensive Assessment System Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) data(MCAS) data

Methodology (Cont’d)Methodology (Cont’d)

Conducted 419 student surveysConducted 419 student surveys Total of 24 classesTotal of 24 classes 1 at each level from each teacher1 at each level from each teacher

Spoke with 14 parentsSpoke with 14 parents 6 engineering (focus group)6 engineering (focus group) 8 non-engineering (phone survey)8 non-engineering (phone survey)

Methodology (Cont’d.)Methodology (Cont’d.)

Interviewed 8 teachersInterviewed 8 teachers Entire math departmentEntire math department Discussed methods and attitudesDiscussed methods and attitudes

Analyzed 2001 MCAS breakdownAnalyzed 2001 MCAS breakdown Average scores by gender and ethnicityAverage scores by gender and ethnicity Multiple-choice item analysisMultiple-choice item analysis

Data AnalysisData Analysis Student survey - frequency analysisStudent survey - frequency analysis Teacher interviews - content analysis for Teacher interviews - content analysis for

themesthemes MCAS dataMCAS data

Multiple-choice questions - percentage of students Multiple-choice questions - percentage of students choosing each answerchoosing each answer

Breakdown - graphed by gender, ethnicity, socio-Breakdown - graphed by gender, ethnicity, socio-economic statuseconomic status

Parent focus groupsParent focus groups Discussion transcripts - content analysis for Discussion transcripts - content analysis for

themesthemes Survey - frequency analysisSurvey - frequency analysis

"I am aware of the following programs available to my child."

0

20

40

60

80

100

Tutoring withWPI students

MCAS afterschool

Mentoring Tech cluster

Program N=14

Par

ents

(%)

No

"Someone close to me encourages me to develop my math skills."

05

10152025303540

Honors Level 1 Level 2

Class Level N=419

Stud

ents

(%)

Strongly Disagree

Disagree

Neutral

Agree

Strongly Agree

"Math is Difficult."

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

StronglyDisagree

Disagree Neutral Agree StronglyAgree

Rating N=418

Stu

den

ts (

%)

Male

Female

Points vs. Item Type

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Multiple-choice Short-answer Open-response

Item Type

Po

ints

Att

ain

ed (

%)

School

District

State

Sample MCAS 2001 Multiple-Sample MCAS 2001 Multiple-Choice QuestionsChoice Questions

2. 2. Which is the Which is the bestbest approximation of √72? approximation of √72?A.A. 7.2 7.2 (31%)(31%)B.B. 9.1 9.1 (8%)(8%)C.C. 8.9 8.9 (16%)(16%)D.D. 8.5 8.5 (42%)(42%)

31.31. So far this term, Calvin has these scores on So far this term, Calvin has these scores on quizzes:quizzes:

81, 86, 96, 93, 8481, 86, 96, 93, 84There are two remaining quizzes. What is the There are two remaining quizzes. What is the lowest mean score he can get on these two lowest mean score he can get on these two quizzes in order to have an overall mean score quizzes in order to have an overall mean score of 90?of 90?

A.A. 95 95 (32%)(32%)B.B. 89 89 (21%)(21%)C.C. 92 92 (24%)(24%)D.D. 97 97 (21%)(21%)

Conclusions and Conclusions and RecommendationsRecommendations

Lack of communicationLack of communication Parent manualsParent manuals

By chapter or grading quarterBy chapter or grading quarter Monthly meetings to supplement written Monthly meetings to supplement written

guidesguides Better and more personal Better and more personal

communicationcommunication More promotion of available programsMore promotion of available programs Personal notes homePersonal notes home

Conclusions and Conclusions and Recommendations Recommendations

Genders differ in attitudes rather Genders differ in attitudes rather than abilitiesthan abilities College mentorsCollege mentors Job-shadowingJob-shadowing

Lack of motivation in Level 1Lack of motivation in Level 1 Peer/honors tutorsPeer/honors tutors Homework groupsHomework groups

Conclusions and Conclusions and Recommendations Recommendations

Reading comprehensionReading comprehension Math languageMath language

Vocabulary exercisesVocabulary exercises ““Match the number with the appropriate vocabulary Match the number with the appropriate vocabulary

word.word.

1 1 22//33

numerator______ denominator______numerator______ denominator______ whole whole number______”number______”

Open Response QuestionsOpen Response Questions More word problems in classMore word problems in class Encourage students not to leave items blankEncourage students not to leave items blank

SummarySummary

Forest Grove Middle School should:Forest Grove Middle School should: Improve communicationImprove communication Provide appropriate role modelsProvide appropriate role models Encourage working togetherEncourage working together Use vocabulary exercisesUse vocabulary exercises

AcknowledgementsAcknowledgements Principal D. KelleyPrincipal D. Kelley Mr. R. KrikorianMr. R. Krikorian Dr. J. CaradonioDr. J. Caradonio Vice Principal J. O’MalleyVice Principal J. O’Malley Prof. J. McNeillProf. J. McNeill Prof. E. Loiacono Prof. E. Loiacono Prof. L. SchachterleProf. L. Schachterle Prof. J. R. Krueger Prof. J. R. Krueger Prof. J. AndersonProf. J. Anderson Dr. S. BlaisdellDr. S. Blaisdell Mr. E. SantiagoMr. E. Santiago Staff of Forest Grove Middle SchoolStaff of Forest Grove Middle School

Any Questions???Any Questions???