Math Attitudes and STEM Participation

Although increasing STEM achievement and STEM participation are widely held goals, research has yet to examine the relationship between math attitudes and STEM course participation and grades at the University level. Math attitudes have been shown to be important for math achievement at the primary, secondary, and post-secondary level, but how math attitudes affect decisions to participate in STEM in University is unexplored as well as the gender differences associated with it. We examined the relationship between math attitudes and STEM grades and courses taken to answer several questions and to better understand how these attitudes relate to students’ decisions toward STEM careers.