Sandra L. Dika

Applications of Social Capital in Educational Literature: A Critical Synthesis

This critical synthesis incorporates both theoretical and empirical literature on social capital since its original conceptualization by Bourdieu (1986) and Coleman (1988) in the late 1980s. The focus of the review is on educational literature that studies social capital and educational outcomes. After outlining their approach, the authors briefly trace the intellectual history of the concept and its transport to the field of education. Next, they undertake a critical review of the literature by first examining trends in conceptualization, methods, and outcomes and then assessing empirical support for claims that social capital is positively linked to educational and psychosocial outcomes. Finally, they discuss gaps in the conceptualization, measurement, and analysis of social capital in educational literature.

Using Data Known at the Time of Admission to Predict First-Generation College Student Success.

The authors use data known at the time of initial enrollment to explore the first-year GPAs and second-year retention of first-generation (FGCS) and non-first-generation (non-FGCS) college students. The setting was a diverse, public, urban doctoral institution (approximately 50% FGCS and 30% minority). Multiple linear and logistic regressions run separately for FGCSs and non-FGCSs, included variables related to financial, academic, integration, and demographic factors. While FGCSs had lower retention and significantly lower GPAs than non-FGCSs, the pattern of predictive factors varied by group. Greater academic preparation was significant in all analyses. Minority students were more likely to persist than White students. Out-of-state residency was a predictor of higher GPA, but also a predictor of FGCS attrition. The authors discuss the value of using data known upon admission and suggest future research to explore how institutional composition may influence FGCS success.

Enhancing Education of Construction Materials Course Using Guided Inquiry Modules Instruction

AbstractThis paper describes a study of the effects of guided inquiry module instruction on undergraduate construction engineering students’ understanding of course concepts and attitudes toward module instruction. Eighty-one students from two sections of the same Construction Materials engineering course participated in the study. Both sections received guided inquiry module instruction (treatment) for three of the six course topics. Participants completed pre- and posttests for each topic, exams (midterm and final), and a questionnaire to assess attitudes and perceptions. Results of the study show students perceived module instruction to be more effective than the traditional lecture. Students across both sections indicated that they participated more during module instruction and that this approach was more effective in encouraging participation and providing opportunities for discussion, activities, and teamwork. Additionally, students performed better on certain topic posttests under the treatment co...

Pre-college interactions, early expectations, and perceived barriers of first year Black and Latino engineering students

One of the most significant challenges facing engineering education in the United States is the persistent problem of inclusion and retention of underrepresented racial and ethnic groups. As part of a larger, federally funded project on student-faculty interaction in engineering, a case study was conducted to describe engineering-related interactions prior to college, perceived barriers during engineering studies, and early expectations of interactions with faculty among first year Black and Latino engineering students at a large university in the Southeastern United States. Descriptive data were gathered through focus groups and questionnaires. Findings indicated that recommendations from pre-college educators, mostly middle and high school math and science teachers, were important for deciding to study engineering in college. Students had expectations of minimal contact with engineering faculty based on early interactions, but expressed the desire to seek relationships with professors who would be able to connect them with engineering-related opportunities and resources. The most likely perceived barriers to studying engineering were financial problems and difficulties in science and engineering coursework. These findings are particularly useful to engineering education professionals involved with first year orientation experiences, and they further current understanding about pre-college and early experiences that are linked to engineering enrollment.

Who's in STEM? An Exploration of Race, Ethnicity, and Citizenship Reporting in a Federal Education Dataset

As the United States becomes more racially and ethnically diverse and draws more students from across the globe, more representative data are needed to understand at-risk and underrepresented populations in higher education, particularly in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. The authors argue that the current reporting standards for the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) result in the misrepresentation of racial and ethnic populations in STEM by forcing non-U.S. students into a “master status” category regardless of their racial or ethnic group membership. This study uses data from IPEDS and the American Community Survey to estimate the possible misrepresentation of reported bachelor degree completions by racial and ethnic group and citizenship status in the biological and biomedical sciences and engineering. We found that nearly all of the racial and ethnic groups in IPEDS may be significantly misreported because of the reporting standards for U.S. citizenship. With these findings, various implications are discussed, including higher education decision-making policies; interpretation of academic and social experiences of diverse peoples (race, ethnicity, and nationality); and creation of effective structures for academic success, particularly for students of color, regardless of citizenship.

Perceptions of Campus Climate at the Intersections of Disability and LGBTQIA+ Identities

Though research on the higher education experiences of college students with disabilities and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) college students has increased in recent years, scholars have rarely addressed intersections of these two identities. Miller and Dika highlight the experiences of 13 LGBTQ students with disabilities at a predominantly white research university in the Southern United States, supplemented by analysis of SERU survey data at the same institution from LGBTQ students with disabilities. The authors include a brief demographic portrait of the undergraduate student participants and the ways in which they describe their multiple, intersecting identities. Presenting results from the study, Miller and Dika address students’ perceptions of the campus climate as well as their recommendations for improving the climate and for others on campus seeking to become allies.

Bridge to Persistence: Interactions With Educators as Social Capital for Latina/o Engineering Majors:

This study employs the notion of bridging social capital to investigate the extent to which different forms and quantity of interactions with educators predict intentions to persist in engineering among a sample of Latina/o engineering majors from five public 4-year institutions in the United States. Different forms of capital were effective for women and men on intentions to persist, and learning orientation emerged as the most important predictor of engineering commitment.

Engineering self-efficacy, interactions with faculty, and other forms of capital for underrepresented engineering students

To address the chronic issues of underrepresentation in engineering education, a small but growing body of research has examined social and cultural explanations for engineering persistence among women, racial/ethnic minorities, first-generation college students, and other underrepresented groups. In this exploratory study, we examine the extent to which relationships with engineering faculty and other forms of engineering-related capital (e.g., aspirational, navigational) are related to engineering self-efficacy among underrepresented engineering students. The findings of the study have implications for future research and practice to increase access to engineering education and persistence of underrepresented students in engineering.

Enhancing Construction Education: Implementing Habitat for Humanity Projects as Service-Learning for Construction Materials

Service-learning is considered a valuable approach in applying concepts from the higher education classroom in real-world settings, and has become quite common in some disciplines. Engineering educators in the United States are making efforts to incorporate service-learning activities and to study their benefits for student learning and engagement. This article describes the design and results of implementing a Habitat for Humanity service-learning project in an introductory construction materials course. Study results collected from two semesters of service-learning implementation show students respond positively to the hands-on active learning of real-world activities related to the course content. Service-learning activities in particular were not only found to enhance student learning and interpersonal skills, but also increase student awareness of their intended profession and society as a whole. Overall, students reported positive perceptions of the service-learning experience and its contribution to their learning of course concepts.

The Role of Socioeconomic Factors in the Prediction of Persistence in Puerto Rico

While research literature suggests that socioeconomic factors play a role in predicting educational attainment, very little research has been done to examine these relationships using data from Puerto Rico. A logistic regression approach was adopted to investigate the extent to which family and school socioeconomic factors predict retention from first to second year of college, after controlling for previous academic preparation, utilizing existing data from over 6,000 student records in one public institution in Puerto Rico. As expected, previous academic preparation variables were statistically significant in the prediction of retention, along with attendance at a public high school, while family socioeconomic factors did not appear to play a significant role. However, there were some notable differences between significant factors for men and women. Implications include the need for further research on the influence of socioeconomic factors on educational attainment in Puerto Rico.