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This study examines the impact of a femalized Architecture, Engineering, and Construction Kinesthetic Learning Model (fAEC-KLM) intervention on the AEC knowledge of African American middle school girls. Fourteen (14) middle school girls completed both pre- and post-surveys and tests that assessed their knowledge of AEC concepts, including roles and responsibilities, gender and racial diversity, and salary benefits. Paired-sample t-tests were utilized to evaluate statistically significant differences in knowledge before and after fAEC-KLM intervention. Results showed notable improvements in students' knowledge of AEC salary and benefits, as well as the underrepresentation of females, particularly African American females, and AEC roles and responsibilities, demonstrating that the intervention effectively increased awareness of AEC careers and the financial rewards. While the fAEC-KLM intervention positively influenced certain aspects of AEC knowledge, further refinement of assessment tools and expanded sample size are needed to assess the intervention's effectiveness fully. 

Although an increase in their participation could reduce workforce shortages and diversify innovations in the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry, African American women remain significantly underrepresented in male-dominated AEC careers. Furthermore, partly due to the lack of early and meaningful AEC exposure, African American girls tend to have low interests in AEC careers. AEC infused out-of-school time (OST) programs have been successful in increasing middle-school girls’ AEC career self-efficacy and interests. However, there is limited understanding on how salient identities interact with learning experiences in AEC-infused OST learning environments to impact AEC career interests. The purpose of this research is to investigate how the salient identities of African American middle-school girls interact with learning experiences within a developed femalized AEC Kinesthetic Learning Model (fAEC-KLM) to impact AEC career interests. Adopting Lent’s social cognitive career theory, the gender and culturally responsive fAEC-KLM is a five-day AEC-infused OST program that engaged 14 African American middle-school girls in bridge-building projects, a panel session with female and African American AEC undergraduates, interactions with female and African American AEC professionals, and success stories featuring female and African American AEC professionals. Using a mixed method approach, data from interviews, surveys, tests, and observations are analyzed to assess changes in AEC career knowledge, self-efficacy, outcome expectations, and interests. Results show that the most effective fAEC-KLM components were lectures, bridge construction project, and peer interactions which improved AEC career knowledge, self-efficacy, and sense of belonging respectively. These in turn increased AEC career interests and three interest categories (active, passive, and null) are utilized to explain how varying fAEC-KLM interactions contributed to three different levels of AEC career interests. The findings align with prior career development and intersectionality frameworks. Findings also fill a critical gap in career development literature by providing insights into AEC career interest development processes in African American middle school girls through OST programs while highlighting how gender and culturally responsive approaches foster interests. Insights and recommendations contribute to ongoing literature to support interventions and policies that foster more equitable representation in AEC careers, increase diversity in AEC innovations, and reduce workforce shortages. 

Engaging African American middle school girls in out-of-school-time (OST) Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) programs can significantly boost their knowledge and awareness of these traditionally male-dominated fields. This study adopts Lent’s Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) and Bandura’s self-efficacy theory to assess the impact of a femalized AEC kinesthetic learning model (fAEC-KLM) on the AEC career knowledge, selfefficacy, and outcome expectations (KSO) of African American middle school girls. Fourteen (14) African American middle school girls from Guilford County, NC, participated in pre- and post-intervention interviews, evaluating how the fAEC-KLM model influenced their AEC career knowledge, self-efficacy, and outcome expectations. Inductive thematic analysis of transcribed interviews using NVIVO qualitative software revealed key components of the fAEC-KLM that impacted KSO. Components such as lectures, peer interactions, and kinesthetic/experiential learning interacted with participants’ learning experiences (prior OST educational programs, familial social support, deficient/adequate mathematical pedagogy, and pre-collegiate engineering education). These factors collectively enhanced participants’ AEC career knowledge, bolstered their self-efficacy, and shaped their outcome expectations. The findings highlight the efficacy of targeted AEC activities within the fAEC-KLM in boosting career knowledge, selfefficacy, and outcome expectations, offering critical insights for developing OST programs that encourage African American middle school girls to pursue careers in AEC fields. These results emphasize the need for such initiatives to reduce the gender gap in STEM and AEC professions, contributing to broader efforts to diversify these vital sectors. 

Increasing diversity in higher education and the workforce requires undergraduate students to learn to work together effectively to address scientific and social issues. Our goal is to learn how best to facilitate teamwork among students from Historically Black Universities (HBU) and Predominantly White Institutions (PWI) to promote collaborative learning. We analyzed the evolving knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes of participating students as they developed close working relationships through a ‘study-within-a-study’ design where student pairs (one from an HBU and one from a PWI) conducted their own research project while we analyzed how these students interacted with their partners. The Association of American Colleges and Universities (AACU) rubric of Intercultural Knowledge and Competence was used to develop a set of codes for assessing transcripts of student meetings. AACU defines six attributes of this rubric including cultural self-awareness, cultural worldview frameworks, empathy, verbal and nonverbal communication, curiosity, and openness. Our pilot results suggest that students willing to engage collaboratively with others from different cultural or educational backgrounds can display attributes of intercultural competence, while those not willing to engage in the collaborative process may not exhibit such competence. We also learned that students require the same initial preparation necessary for the assigned project. 

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted global educational systems with institutions transitioning to e-learning. Undergraduate STEM students complained about lowered motivation to learn and complete STEM course requirements. To better prepare for more effective STEM education delivery during high-risk conditions such as pandemics, it is important to understand the learning motivation challenges (LMCs) experienced by students. As part of a larger national research study investigating decision-making in undergraduate STEM students during COVID-19, the purpose of this research is to examine LMCs experienced by undergraduate STEM students. One hundred and ninety students from six U.S. institutions participated in Qualtrics-based surveys. Utilizing a five-point Likert scale, respondents ranked the extent to which they agreed to LMC statements. Using Qualtrics Data Analysis tools and MS Excel, data from 130 useable surveys was analyzed utilizing descriptive and inferential statistics. Results revealed that regardless of classification, GPA, age, or race, STEM students experienced LMCs. The top five LMCs were: (1) Assignment Overloads; (2) Lack of In-Person Peer Interactions; (3) Uncaring Professors; (4) Lack of In-Person Professor Interactions; and (5) Lack of In-Person Laboratory Experiences. Significant relationships existed between three characteristics (GPA, classification, and age) and few LMCs to include assignment overloads. Students tended to attribute lowered motivation to Institutional and Domestic challenges which were typically out of their control, rather than to Personal challenges which were typically within their control. Crosstab analysis suggested that Sophomores, Asians, as well as students with GPAs between 2.00 and 2.49 and aged 41 to 50 years may be the most vulnerable due to higher dependence on traditional in-person STEM educational environments. Early identification of the most vulnerable students should be quickly followed by interventions. Increased attention towards sophomores may reduce exacerbation of potential sophomore slump and middle-child syndrome. All STEM students require critical domestic, institutional, and personal resources. Institutions should strengthen students’ self-regulation skills and provide increased opportunities for remote peer interactions. Training of faculty and administrators is critical to build institutional capacity to motivate and educate STEM students with diverse characteristics in e-learning environments. Pass/fail policies should be carefully designed and implemented to minimize negative impacts on motivation. Employers should expand orientation and mentoring programs for entry-level employees, particularly for laboratory-based tasks. Research is needed to improve the delivery of STEM laboratory e-learning experiences. Findings inform future research, as well as best practices for improved institutional adaptability and resiliency. These will minimize disruptions to student functioning and performance, reduce attrition, and strengthen progression into the STEM workforce during high-risk conditions such as pandemics. With caution, findings may be extended to non-STEM and non-student populations. 

COVID-19 is a continuing global pandemic causing significant changes and modifications in the ways we teach and learn here in the U.S as well as around the world. Most universities, faculty members, and students modified their learning system by incorporating significant online or mixed learning methods/modes to reduce in person contact time and to reduce the spread of the virus. Universities, faculty and students were challenged as they adapted to new learning modules, strategies and approaches. This adaption started in the Spring of 2020 and has continued to date through the Spring of 2022. The main objective of this project was to investigate faculty perception of STEM student experiences and behavior during the Fall 2020 semester as compared to the Spring 2020 semester as COVID-19 impacts were prolonged. Through a qualitative methodology of zoom interviews administered to 32 STEM faculty members across six U.S. Universities nationwide and a theming scheme, the opinion and narratives of these faculty members were garnered in a round one and round two sets of interviews, in Summer 2020 and then in Spring 2021 (following the semesters of interest). Some of the main new themes that were detected in faculty interviews during the Fall 2020 semester and which reflect faculty perceptions are represented as follow: COVID-19 impact on student and faculty motivation, COVID-19 impacts on labs and experiential learning, COVID-19 impact on mental health, COVID-19 impact on STEM students' involvement in STEM experiential learning opportunities and research. Other previous themes detected and which are revisited to analyze major differences with those themes obtained during the Spring 2020 are presented and not limited to: extra efforts from professors, student cheating behavior, cheating factors and prevention, student behavioral and performance changes, student struggles and challenges, University response and efforts to the COVID-19 pandemic. We explored the differences in these themes between the semesters to look at noticed adaptations and modifications. Presented will also be recommendations to improve student and faculty motivation along with strategies to enhance the student learning experience during the COVID-19 pandemic. We report on common findings and suggest future strategies. 

Abstract Women professionals are underrepresented in the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry. As part of a larger and longitudinal nationwide study that constructs grounded theories to explain professional identity development (PID) processes in undergraduate AEC women, the purpose is to examine the lived experiences of first-year AEC women. Using purposive sampling, 40 AEC women from five institutions completed surveys with open-ended questions about salient first year experiences. Also, resumes and academic transcripts were obtained. Adopting the grounded theory approach and constant comparative analysis, data was analyzed using the NVivo Qualitative Analysis software for coding, categorization, and theme development. Data analysis reveals a critical question on the minds of first-year AEC women: Is this AEC profession a good fit for me? Utilizing four categories and twelve subcategories, an emerging theory, Sparking AEC-PID Through Agency and Networks, highlights the role of interactions between self and structures in forming AEC-PID and influencing women persistence in undergraduate AEC programs. This theory proposes important predictors of AEC-PID and AEC persistence in women. It captures cognitive, emotional, physical, social, and academic processes that spark AEC-PID in women. Positive interactions between self and AEC program environments strengthen AEC-PID because of improvement in AEC knowledge, views, mindsets, and efforts to explore niches for progression in undergraduate AEC programs and towards AEC professions. However, the lack of gender diversity remains a concern. Also, heavy workloads and unfavorable program conditions cause stress, particularly in Architecture women. These negative interactions weaken AEC-PID because they result in declining views about the AEC profession. Therefore, women persistence in undergraduate AEC programs requires developing the ‘survival’ mentality and spurring the super woman mindset. While medium to strong AEC-PID sustains the desire to persist in many Prevailing women, medium AEC-PID is also associated with lowered desire to persist as a few Hesitant women become open to other careers options. Excessively negative interactions erode AEC-PID and the desire to persist, as one Yielding woman plans her AEC program exit. It is critical that undergraduate AEC women are provided early AEC gateway experiences that assure them that AEC programs and professions are a good fit for them. Insights have theoretical and practical implications towards transformations that will strengthen the attraction, preparation, and retention of the next generation of AEC women. In the long term, this would reduce AEC workforce shortages and foster the innovation of more gender friendly AEC products and services. 

The recent outbreak of COVID-19, considered as being a lethal pandemic by the World Health Organization, has caused profound changes in the educational system within the U.S and across the world. Overnight, universities and their educators had to switch to a largely online teaching format, which challenged their capacity to deliver learning content effectively to STEM students. Students were forced to adapt to a new learning environment in the midst of challenges in their own lives due to the COVID-19 effects on society and professional expectations. The main purpose of this paper is to investigate faculty perceptions of STEM student experiences during COVID-19. Through a qualitative methodology consisting of one-hour zoom interviews administered to 32 STEM faculty members from six U.S. Universities nationwide, faculty narratives regarding student and faculty experiences during COVID-19 were obtained. The qualitative research approach involved identifying common themes across faculty experiences and views in these narratives. Some of the categories of emerging themes associated with faculty perceptions on student and faculty experiences included: student struggles and challenges, student cheating and the online environment, faculty and student adaptability, faculty and student needs and support, and university resources and support. Best practices to facilitate online teaching and learning employed by STEM faculty were also discussed. Key findings revealed that students and faculty had both positive and negative experiences during COVID-19. Additionally, there was a greater need for consistent policies to improve the online student learning experiences. Recommendations to improve STEM student experiences include increased institutional resources and collaboration between faculty and the university administrators to provide a coherent online learning environment. Preliminary findings also provide insights to enhance institutional adaptability and resilience for improving STEM student experiences during future pandemics. Future research should continue to explore institutional adaptation strategies that enhance STEM student learning during pandemics. 

Professor-student interactions influence student learning experiences and performance. The COVID pandemic transformed STEM learning environments across U.S. institutions; however, its impact on STEM professor-student interactions and STEM student learning experiences are yet to be understood. The purpose of this nationwide inductive research study is to examine the impact of COVID-19 on professor-student interactions, undergraduate STEM student learning, and STEM student performance. To achieve this, a qualitative method is adopted and purposive sampling is utilized to enroll 63 STEM students from six U.S institutions. Data is collected through one-hour ZOOM interviews, giving students the opportunity to narrate their STEM learning experiences and performance during the COVID-19 pandemic. The data is analyzed using the NVIVO qualitative analysis software for coding, categorizing, memo-ing, and constant comparative analysis. Results reveal emergent codes on the STEM professor-student interactions to include professor leniency, caring attitude, availability, communication, instruction style, teaching resources, technology literacy, camera on/off requirements, live/recorded sessions, time zone, and student workload. Limited positive impacts on student learning include improved familiarity with alternate STEM learning resources and development of virtual learning soft skills. Negative learning experiences are extensive and coded as: poor comprehension, keeping up, overdrive, isolation, lowered motivation, schedule conflicts, and anxiety. Consequently, students made adaptation decisions coded as: alternate learning sources, refined scheduling, community support, preferring teaching assistants, working out, reporting professors, procrastination, and tuning out. While proactive students and students with prior virtual learning experiences improved or maintained their grades, many students opted for the pass/fail grade or complete withdrawal due to poor STEM learning and performance. Findings indicate that while STEM professors were adjusting to modified teaching environments, many STEM students were developing a sense of independence, self-study, and peer reliance to improve their own STEM understanding and performance with minimal reliance on STEM professors. Lessons learned and best practices for professor-student interactions and student learning are recommended for potential replication in STEM communities for improved adaptability and resiliency during future pandemics. Future research will focus on measuring the effect of best practices on professor-student interactions, student learning experiences, and performance. 

Nascent Professional Identity Development in Freshman Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) Women Increasing the persistence of talented women into male-dominated architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) professions could reduce prevailing workforce shortages and improve gender diversity in AEC industry. Identity theorists advocate that professional identity development (PID) improves students’ persistence to become professionals. However, little empirical research exists to inform and guide AEC educators and professionals on AEC-PID in undergraduate AEC women. As the preliminary part of a larger nationwide and longitudinal research study investigating PID processes in undergraduate AEC women, the objective of this research is to examine the characteristics and nascent AEC-PID in 69 women enrolled in freshman AEC courses in five U.S. institutions. A purposive sampling approach ensures participants have a wide range of demographic characteristics. Data from a recruitment survey is analyzed using the NVivo qualitative data analysis software. Content and relational inductive open coding are conducted vertically for each participant and horizontally across different participants. Results indicate passion/interest, inherent abilities, significant others, benefits from industry, and desire to contribute to industry influence decisions to pursue AEC careers. With 52% of participants having science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM) subject preferences, an in vivo code, Perfect Middle Ground, demonstrated the quest to combine STEM and visual art preferences in AEC career decisions. A participant noted that ‘this major (civil engineering) is the perfect middle ground because I can be creative, but still use my strong gift which happens to be math’. Girls with STEAM strengths and passion, particularly in math and fine art, are most likely to develop nascent AEC-PID. Beyond STEM pre-college programs, AEC educators should consider recruiting from sports, as well as visual and performing arts events for pre-college students. Participants’ positive views focus on the importance and significant societal impact of the AEC industry; while, negative views focus on the lack of gender and racial diversity. A combination of participants’ AEC professional experiences and views reveal four increasing levels of nascent AEC-PID which are categorized as the 4Ps: Plain, Passive, Progressive, and Proactive. As a guide to AEC education and professional communities, recommendations are made to increase the AEC-PID of women in each category. With the highest nascent AEC-PID, women in the Proactive category should serve as leaders in AEC classrooms and student organizations. Considering their AEC professional experience and enthusiasm, they should serve as peer mentors to other students, particularly AEC women. Furthermore, they should be given the opportunity to step into more complex roles during internships and encouraged to pursue co-op opportunities. Insights can guide more targeted recruitment, mentoring, preparation, and retention interventions that strengthen the persistence of the next generation of AEC women professionals. In the long term, this could reduce AEC workforce shortages, improve gender diversity, and foster the innovation and development of more gender friendly AEC products and services.