This study explored the math course taking patterns of Nebraska's secondary students from 2014-2020 using statewide data. Three course taking patterns were identified and examined. There are nuanced differences through these pathways based and race and gender. Student success through the pathways is dependent on course placement in the first year…

LGB individuals--those who identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual--are underrepresented in many careers. Our study explores differences in the CTE participation of LGB students compared to heterosexual peers during high school. Using nationally representative longitudinal data, we examine differences in high school CTE coursetaking by LGB…

Social scientists have long recognized field of study as an important mechanism of gender differentiation and stratification in U.S. higher education, but they have rarely attended to how elective curriculums mediate gender differentiation in major selection. Under elective curriculums, major selection is an iterative process, in which students…

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) now offer a variety of options for everyone to obtain a high-quality education. The purpose of this study is to better understand the behaviours of MOOC learners and provide some insights for taking actions that benefit larger learner groups. Accordingly, 2,288,559 learners' behaviours on 174 MITx courses were…

Performance in mathematics can be attributed to factors other than mathematical ability. A growing body of literature examines the significant impact of mathematics anxiety (MA) on mathematical performance and individuals' choices concerning study and career pathways. However, much of the focus has been on science, technology, engineering and…

Previous research has linked student participation in Career and Technical Education (CTE) to a variety of factors, including student and family demographic characteristics. Less attention has been paid to how students' attitudes -- including their perceptions of the value of CTE courses -- impact interest in CTE course-taking. Results of the…

Implicit stereotypes about gender and STEM may unconsciously shape students' academic choices and contribute to gender gaps in major choice, but there is limited economic evidence on this channel. To study this relationship, we administer a gender-science Implicit Association Test (IAT) to a sample of primarily first-semester undergraduates, and…

We investigate how social identity, namely gender and caste, affects stream choice at the higher secondary level of schooling in India. The choice of science stream at this level is a crucial determinant of subsequent science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education and labor market outcomes. Using nationally representative data…

Background: Learners in a given massive open online course (MOOC) are usually provided with the same learning materials, guided by the same syllabus, and assessed in the same format. This "one-size-fits-all" approach constrains learners' ability to reap the optimal benefits from online learning. Objectives: This study aims to…

Pupils' subject choices at the level of secondary education critically determine the tertiary fields of study that they can pursue. This study used multinomial logistic regression models to investigate the extent to which the final report card grades of ninth-grade students predicted their choices of subject combinations at the senior general…

A common conclusion drawn from publicly available Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) data releases is that Higher Music Education (HME) courses have a predominantly male population. However, HESA data has key issues when examining HME courses: which courses are reported as 'music' courses to HESA; how do universities decide which courses…

Gender disparities persist in postsecondary computing fields, despite improvements in postsecondary equity overall and STEM fields as an aggregate. The entrenchment of this issue requires a comprehensive, longitudinal lens. Building on expectancy-value theory, the present study examines the relationships among students' gender-ability stereotypes,…

This study aims to better understand differences in the decision-making process behind study choices for higher education by investigating the presence of exploration profiles and then explore the explanatory base. To achieve this, we first identified different exploration profiles of students transitioning to higher education (n = 5660), and then…

Gendered field-of-study choice is a lively topic of discussion. The explanation usually given for the fact that women are still an exception in typically 'male' fields--particularly STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics)--employs domain-specific stereotypes regarding men's and women's 'natural' abilities in different fields. The…

To examine the combined effects of maths anxiety (MA), maths self-efficacy (MSE), and maths interest (MI) on STEM career choice, we analysed self-report data from 7908 Twins Early Development Study participants, collected at ages 16 (MSE, MI), 18 (MA) and 21 (STEM career choice). When analysed in the same model, MSE did not independently predict…