Student response to a careers in physics lesson

Abstract

Prior research indicates that one barrier to pursuing a STEM degree is lack of alignment between perceptions of a STEM career and personal goals. The Careers in Physics lesson developed for the STEP UP project directly addresses this. In the lesson, students explore the profiles of modern day physicists and the many career options available to physics majors. Students then connect physics to their own career aspirations. In this study, students’ career goals are analyzed under the framework of agentic and communal goals. Data collected include student open-ended survey responses, survey items, and student work such as a career profile in which students envision themselves achieving their career goals with a physics degree. We found evidence that this lesson effectively communicates that a career in physics can fulfill intrinsic agentic and communal goals, goals which are more strongly endorsed by female students.