You are here

Setting The Agenda For STEM Literacy In Higher Education: A Content Analysis Of The Chronicle Of Higher Education

Download pdf | Full Screen View

Date Issued:
2016
Abstract/Description:
Enhancing achievement in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) is a long-standing national concern. The current national agenda, to instill an (")all hands on deck(") approach to creating a STEM literate citizenry, calls for broadening the scope of inclusion in STEM efforts. A critical population, higher education administrators, faculty, and staff are a valuable resource to advancing this agenda. Under the proposed Agenda Setting Communication Theory (ASCT) model developed for this study, their level of exposure to needed information is an important indicator of their potential participation in this agenda. As the leading news medium for the higher education community, the Chronicle of Higher Education was examined, through Content Analysis, to identify the frequency of reporting on STEM education from January 2001 to December 2015, to discern the themes in STEM education which appear in the Chronicle of Higher Education from January 2001 to December 2015, and to determine the frequency of reporting on the need for collaboration in STEM education in the Chronicle of Higher Education during that same period. The results of the Content Analysis indicate that there has been a significant increase in the Chronicle's reporting on STEM education in the past five years. Also, matters relating to the recruitment and retention of underrepresented populations were reported on most frequently. Further, reporting on the need for collaboration did not emerge as a primary theme. These results indicate that while the Chronicle is somewhat participating in reflecting aspects of the national STEM education agenda, it is not yet functioning to advance the breadth of that agenda within the higher education community.
Title: Setting The Agenda For STEM Literacy In Higher Education: A Content Analysis Of The Chronicle Of Higher Education.
34 views
14 downloads
Name(s): Abdallah, Maya, Author
Cintron Delgado, Rosa, Committee Chair
Owens, J. Thomas, Committee Member
Welch, Kerry, Committee Member
Batarseh, Issa, Committee Member
University of Central Florida, Degree Grantor
Type of Resource: text
Date Issued: 2016
Publisher: University of Central Florida
Language(s): English
Abstract/Description: Enhancing achievement in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) is a long-standing national concern. The current national agenda, to instill an (")all hands on deck(") approach to creating a STEM literate citizenry, calls for broadening the scope of inclusion in STEM efforts. A critical population, higher education administrators, faculty, and staff are a valuable resource to advancing this agenda. Under the proposed Agenda Setting Communication Theory (ASCT) model developed for this study, their level of exposure to needed information is an important indicator of their potential participation in this agenda. As the leading news medium for the higher education community, the Chronicle of Higher Education was examined, through Content Analysis, to identify the frequency of reporting on STEM education from January 2001 to December 2015, to discern the themes in STEM education which appear in the Chronicle of Higher Education from January 2001 to December 2015, and to determine the frequency of reporting on the need for collaboration in STEM education in the Chronicle of Higher Education during that same period. The results of the Content Analysis indicate that there has been a significant increase in the Chronicle's reporting on STEM education in the past five years. Also, matters relating to the recruitment and retention of underrepresented populations were reported on most frequently. Further, reporting on the need for collaboration did not emerge as a primary theme. These results indicate that while the Chronicle is somewhat participating in reflecting aspects of the national STEM education agenda, it is not yet functioning to advance the breadth of that agenda within the higher education community.
Identifier: CFE0006239 (IID), ucf:51063 (fedora)
Note(s): 2016-08-01
Ph.D.
Education and Human Performance, Dean's Office EDUC
Doctoral
This record was generated from author submitted information.
Subject(s): STEM Education -- Content Analysis -- Chronicle of HIgher Education -- Agenda Setting Communication Theory
Persistent Link to This Record: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006239
Restrictions on Access: public 2016-08-15
Host Institution: UCF

In Collections