There is an increasing need for a well-trained scientific workforce with knowledge and skills related to the STEM fields. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that STEM employment is projected to grow 13 percent by 2022, outpacing the average growth rate for other occupations (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2014). Current research suggests that many students enter college intending to pursue a STEM degree, but only about half will graduate in this field (Chen, 2013). One evidence-based intervention called the utility-value intervention (UVI) aims to help retain these students and improve their performance by increasing their motivation and interest in scientific topics. The UVI works by asking students to develop their own connections to class material and relating these concepts to their own life. By connecting course material to their own lives, students can find novel ways in which material is valuable to them and serves their academic and occupational pursuits. This leads to deeper engagement with scientific concepts and enhanced learning. Based on research over the past decade, students experience:
Better Class Performance
Findings from multiple studies suggest the implementation of the UVI helps students improve their grades compared to students not using this intervention. This is especially effective for students already struggling in science classes.
Source: Rosenzweig, Harackiewitz, Priniski, Hecht, Canning, Tibbetts, & Hyde, 2018
Greater Interest in Subject Material
Along with improving their course grades, students using the UVI express greater interest in the subject matter. This effect is true among both college-aged students as well as high school students.
Sources: Hulleman, Godes, Hendricks, & Harackiewitz, 2010; Hulleman & Harackiewitz, 2009
Higher Persistence in the STEM Field
Students that earn better grades and find greater interest in subject matter are more likely to persist in their chosen degree major.
Source: Canning, Harackiewitz, Priniski, Hecht, Tibbetts, & Hyde, 2018