Assessment of self-reported perception and aspirations of online undergraduate students regarding STEM fields

Assessment of self-reported perception and aspirations of online undergraduate students regarding STEM fields | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Assessment of self-reported perception and aspirations of online undergraduate students regarding STEM fields Jordan Norwood, Felix M. Pabon-Rodriguez, Angel L. Figueroa-Rosado This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-5717811/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted 5 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Understanding the experiences, perceptions, and barriers of students is critical to address disparities and fostering equity, particularly in the rapidly growing domain of online education. This study explored these factors among undergraduate students from an online math program at a Midwestern University, focusing on factors influencing the likelihood of pursuing STEM careers. An online survey was distributed to eligible participants, and quantitative and qualitative responses are analyzed. Descriptive statistics and a Bayesian logistic regression model were used to analyze the data. The results showed that 95.8% of respondents viewed the university as providing a supportive environment, and 54.2% felt that adequate resources were available for STEM success. Despite this, many participants highlighted unique challenges faced by underrepresented groups. The Bayesian analysis revealed key predictors of STEM pursuits, including positive associations with financial stability (83% probability of positive effect), participation in STEM workshops (83%), and confidence in STEM success (77%). Negative associations were observed for difficulty in career decision-making (87% probability of negative effect) and age (94% probability of negative effect). While many participants expressed confidence in STEM and acknowledged the supportive environment provided by the university, these findings underscore the importance of targeted interventions to address barriers and foster equitable participation in STEM, particularly in online education settings. perception aspirations STEM careers online education Bayesian model Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted Editorial decision: Revision requested 16 May, 2025 Editor assigned by journal 05 May, 2025 Reviewers invited by journal 21 Apr, 2025 Submission checks completed at journal 18 Apr, 2025 First submitted to journal 13 Apr, 2025 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-5717811","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":445897279,"identity":"796108dc-93bd-42e8-b758-0da4a1c9dab2","order_by":0,"name":"Jordan Norwood","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Indiana University East","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Jordan","middleName":"","lastName":"Norwood","suffix":""},{"id":445897280,"identity":"89109699-d7a9-48e5-939d-350203733d4b","order_by":1,"name":"Felix M. 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