The Representation of Minority, Female, and Non-Traditional STEM Majors in the Online Environment at Community Colleges: A Nationally Representative Study
Abstract
Using data from more than 2,000 community college science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) majors in the National Postsecondary Student Aid Study, this research investigates how ethnicity, gender, non-traditional student risk factors, academic preparation, socio-economic status, and English-as-second-language/citizenship status relate to online course enrollment patterns. Even after controlling for other factors, Blacks and Hispanics (Black and Hispanic men, in particular) were significantly underrepresented in online courses, women were significantly overrepresented, and students with non-traditional student risk factors (delayed enrollment, no high school diploma, part-time enrollment, financially independent, have dependents, single-parent status, and working full-time) were significantly more likely to enroll online. However, although ethnicity, gender, and non-traditional factors were all important predictors for both 2- and 4-year STEM majors, at community colleges, ethnicity and gender were more important predictors of online enrollment than non-traditional characteristics, which is the opposite pattern observed at 4-year colleges.
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Black and Latino men students are particularly proportionally underrepresented in STEM online courses.
“results indicate that Black and Latino men students are particularly proportionally underrepresented in STEM online courses (Wladis et al., 2015c*).”
From Post-secondary online learning in the U.S.: an integrative review of the literature on undergraduate student characteristics (2022) · cites this paper as Wladis et al., 2015c*
Cites
Xu, D., & Jaggars, S. S. (2011) · Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis · doi:10.3102/0162373711413814 · Cited by 239 · see citing works
Wladis, C., Hachey, A. C., & Conway, K. (2015) · Computers & Education · doi:10.1016/j.compedu.2015.06.010 · Cited by 49 · see citing works
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The struggle is real: A systematic review of food insecurity on postsecondary education campuses
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The Status of Women in STEM in Higher Education: A Review of the Literature 2007–2017
Blackburn, H. (2017) · Science & Technology Libraries · doi:10.1080/0194262x.2017.1371658 · Cited by 353 · see citing works
“…become a popular topic in the literature as the skyrocketing cost of higher education leaves students scrambling for more economical means of reaching their goals, such as enrolling in either online courses (Wladis, Hachey, and Conway 2015) or face-to-face courses (Wang 2016) at community colleges.”
BackgroundWladis, C., Conway, K. M., & Hachey, A. C. (2015) · Community College Review · doi:10.1177/0091552115571729 · Cited by 127 · see citing works
Self-citationCollins, K. H. (2018) · Journal of Advanced Academics · doi:10.1177/1932202x18757958 · Cited by 126 · see citing works
Missing in Action: Gifted Black Girls in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics
Collins, K. H., Joseph, N. M., & Ford, D. Y. (2019) · Gifted Child Today · doi:10.1177/1076217519880593 · Cited by 78 · see citing works
Prior online course experience and G.P.A. as predictors of subsequent online STEM course outcomes
Hachey, A. C., Wladis, C. W., & Conway, K. M. (2014) · The Internet and Higher Education · doi:10.1016/j.iheduc.2014.10.003 · Cited by 46 · see citing works
Self-citationWladis, C., Hachey, A. C., & Conway, K. (2015) · Computers & Education · doi:10.1016/j.compedu.2015.06.010 · Cited by 49 · see citing works
Self-citationAn investigation of course-level factors as predictors of online STEM course outcomes
Wladis, C., Hachey, A., & Conway, K. (2014) · Comput. Educ. · doi:10.1016/j.compedu.2014.04.015 · Cited by 48 · see citing works
Self-citationSupriya, K., Mead, C., Anbar, A. D., Caulkins, J. L., Collins, J. P., Cooper, K. M., LePore, P. C., Lewis, T., Pate, A., Scott, R. A., et al. (2021) · Frontiers in Education · doi:10.3389/feduc.2021.759624 · Cited by 44 · see citing works
“Specifically, we know that the percentage of women, older students, students who are primary caregivers, and students from low-income households are consistently higher in online programs compared to in-person programs (Wladis et al., 2015; Cooper et al., 2019; Mead et al., 2020).”
ResultMead, C., Supriya, K., Zheng, Y., Anbar, A. D., Collins, J. P., LePore, P. C., & Brownell, S. E. (2020) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0243916 · Cited by 39 · see citing works
“single parents, full-time workers), but lower for Black and Hispanic/Latinx students even after taking other demographic variables into account [27, 28].”
BackgroundHachey, A. C., Conway, K. M., Wladis, C., & Karim, S. (2022) · Journal of Computing in Higher Education · doi:10.1007/s12528-022-09319-0 · Cited by 32 · see citing works
“SES has been posited as an important mediating variable when considering online course enrollment and ethnicity (Wladis et al., 2015b*).”
BackgroundSelf-citationWladis, C., Conway, K. W., & Hachey, A. C. (2014) · Online Learning · doi:10.24059/olj.v18i3.391 · Cited by 55 · see citing works
Self-citationWladis, C., Conway, K., & Hachey, A. C. (2017) · Studies in Higher Education · doi:10.1080/03075079.2015.1045478 · Cited by 35 · see citing works
Self-citationSublett, C. (2019) · Community College Journal of Research and Practice · doi:10.1080/10668926.2018.1530620 · Cited by 19 · see citing works
Sung, J. S., & Huang, W. D. (2023) · Contemporary Educational Technology · doi:10.30935/cedtech/14047 · Cited by 8 · see citing works
“These findings suggest that online STEM education could be an important entry point for women to start academic training in STEM by increasing rates of STEM degree completion among women students (Wladis et al., 2015).”
InfluentialRevelo, R. A., Mejia, J., Mejía, J., & Alarcón, I. V. (2024) · Journal of Engineering Education · doi:10.1002/jee.20598 · Cited by 12 · see citing works
“…et al., 2017; Ohland et al., 2011, 2015; Okahana et al., 2018; Orr et al., 2015; Ozogul et al., 2017; Pilotte et al., 2017; Rogers-Chapman, 2014; Wladis et al., 2015; Zheng et al., 2014) leveraged statistical power and access to large databases and/or national survey data to analyze by…”
Students as Stakeholders: Understanding Expectations Can Increase Student Retention
James, J. L. (2020) · Journal of College Student Retention Research Theory & Practice · doi:10.1177/1521025119898844 · Cited by 13 · see citing works
Investigating Online versus Face-to-Face Course Dropout: Why Do Students Say They Are Leaving?
Hachey, A. C., Wladis, C. W., & Conway, K. M. (2023) · Education Sciences · doi:10.3390/educsci13111122 · Cited by 13 · see citing works
Self-citationDuan, Y.-Q., Berger, E., Kandakatla, R., DeBoer, J., Stites, N. A., & Rhoads, J. (2018) · Frontiers in Education Conference · doi:10.1109/fie.2018.8658651 · Cited by 8
“Another study reported that Black and Hispanic students were significantly less engaged in an online STEM course [22].”
BackgroundWho are we? Beyond Monolithic Perspectives of Latinxs in Engineering
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Shepherd, C. E., Bolliger, D. U., & McKim, C. A. (2024) · Online Learning · doi:10.24059/olj.v28i1.3673 · Cited by 7 · see citing works
“While this number aligns with other’s claims regarding student makeup in online courses, (e.g., Wladis et al., 2015; Xu & Jaggars, 2013), it may limit the voice of males.”
BackgroundInfluentialCognitive load in asynchronous discussions of an online undergraduate STEM course
Faulconer, E. K., Bolch, C., & Wood, B. L. (2022) · Journal of Research in Innovative Teaching & Learning · doi:10.1108/jrit-02-2022-0010 · Cited by 9 · see citing works
The Complex Nature of Student Retention at America’s Community Colleges
Sullivan, P., Bell, A., & Nielsen, D. (2023) · Community College Review · doi:10.1177/00915521231163855 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
“…2019), dual enrollment (Grubb et al., 2017; Taylor, 2015; Tinberg & Nadeau, 2011), ethnicity, gender, and non-traditional student characteristics (Wladis et al., 2015, 2015), masculinities and identity conflicts (Rodriguez et al., 2021), math requirements (Quarles & Davis, 2017; X. Wang et…”
Pao, T. C. (2016) · Chapman University Digital Commons (Chapman University) · doi:10.36837/chapman.000009 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
“Furthermore, Wladis et al. (2014) posited that other studies have shown that females have higher rates of enrollment and success (Chee, Pino & Smith, 2005; Conway, 2009; Freeman, 2004; Voorhees & Zhou, 2000; Wladis et al., 2014) and higher levels of academic preparation (NCES, 2005; Wladis et al.,…”
BackgroundMethodResultInfluentialMaintaining Motivation in Online Students
Stewart, C., & Crone, T. S. (2015) · Advances in educational technologies and instructional design book series · doi:10.4018/978-1-4666-9582-5.ch002 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
FeTeMM Eğitiminin Öğrencilerin Kariyer İlgisine Etkisi: Sistematik Derleme
Irmak, Ş., & Kaptan, F. (2022) · Ankara Üniversitesi Eğitim Bilimleri Fakültesi Dergisi · doi:10.30964/auebfd.1101201 · Cited by 3
Sanchez, J. E., & Smith, J. (2017) · ˜The œJournal of student financial aid · doi:10.55504/0884-9153.1639 · Cited by 3
Gedeborg, S. K. (2020) · doi:10.26076/cesr-hx26 · Cited by 3
“In general, main reasons students sign up for online coursework are flexibility of the schedule, convenience, effectiveness of online classes, and the fit with their educational goals and efforts (Willging & Johnson, 2009; Wladis et al., 2015).”
BackgroundInfluentialMeisami, P. (2020) · doi:10.17760/d20350264 · Cited by 2
“This is the same pattern for mathematics courses (Wladis et al., 2015).”
BackgroundInfluentialParks‐Stamm, E. J., & Grey, C. (2016) · Social Psychology · doi:10.1027/1864-9335/a000277 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Szura, J. W., Fischer, C., Link, R. D., & Collins, P. (2022) · Journal of Chemical Education · doi:10.1021/acs.jchemed.2c00437 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Smith, J. M. (n.d.) · 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition Proceedings · doi:10.18260/1-2--48041 · Cited by 1
Pickett, A. (2026) · Online Learning · doi:10.24059/olj.v30i3.5763
Landscape of Student Parents Studying Engineering
Smith, J. M. (2024) · Frontiers in Education Conference · doi:10.1109/fie61694.2024.10893544
“This question is particularly important because student parents are more likely than students who are not parents to be from demographic groups that have historically been marginalized in engineering [3], [4].”
Why Students Withdraw from Online Stem Courses
Faulconer, E. K., Wood, B. L., Branton, A., & Chuaunsu, M. (2024) · Quarterly review of distance education · doi:10.1108/qrde-05-2024-0005
DIVERSITY IMPLICATIONS OF ONLINE LEARNING OF CODING
Lane, M., Hui, W., Murcia, K., & Wongthongtham, P. (2019) · IADIS International Conference on Educational Technologies (ICEduTech) · doi:10.33965/icedutech2019_201902l006
“Females without an IT background and people over 25 may find online learning of coding more accessible than formal education, which is consistent with Wladis et al (2015) and Johnson et al (2015).”
BackgroundResultLane, M., Hui, W., Murcia, K., & Wongthongtham, P. (2019) · IADIS INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL ON WWW/INTERNET · doi:10.33965/ijwi_2019171108
“Wladis et al (2015) show that, compared to face-to-face STEM courses, Black and Hispanic students are significantly underrepresented in online STEM courses.”
BackgroundResultInfluentialConvergence of Adult Learners, STEM Programs, and Promise Programs in Community Colleges
Conway, D. M., Deggs, D., & Rola, K. (2021) · doi:10.4018/978-1-7998-4123-4.ch003
Wrobetz, A. (2024) · ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition · doi:10.18260/1-2--44524
Epstein, A., & Duval‐Couetil, N. (2024) · ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition · doi:10.18260/1-2--44017
- Authors
- Wladis, C., Hachey, A. C., & Conway, K. M.
- Affiliations
- City University of New York (US)
- Venue
- Community College Review
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2014-11-24
- Volume
- 43
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 89-114
- ISSN
- 0091-5521 (ISSN-L)
- 1940-2325
- OpenAlex
- W2315520508
- Cited by
- 48
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 6 · 2015: 4 · 2014: 3
- FWCI
- 27.40
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Community College Review (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Education › Higher Education Research Studies
- Social Sciences › Education › Online and Blended Learning
- Social Sciences › Safety Research › Career Development and Diversity
- Keywords
- online course registration, community colleges, STEM majors, minority students, women in STEM, non-traditional students, ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status, English as a second language, citizenship status, academic preparation, part-time admission, working students, single-parent families, Black and Hispanic students
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