Perceptions of Community Among Dual Credit Students Taking STEM Courses Offered Through a Community College

The United States is currently experiencing a shortage of qualified individuals to fill jobs in the fields of science, engineering, mathematics, and technology. Therefore, educational institutions are concerned with recruiting and retaining students in these fields of study. One means of introducing students to these fields of study is enrollment in dual credit coursework. The purpose of this quantitative, correlational study was to determine whether a relationship exists between student perceptions of community for dual credit students enrolled in these courses through a local community college and end of term averages in these courses. This relationship was examined by collecting survey data on three predictor variables (connectedness, learning, and overall sense of community) and a criterion variable (end of term average). The data were analyzed using a multiple regression analysis. Due to problems with assumption testing, only two of the three criterion variables, connectedness and learning, were included in the statistical analysis. Results of the analysis revealed a significant predictive relationship between student perceptions of connectedness and learning and the end of term average of the participants. These results suggest that student perceptions of community may be a key factor influencing success in the dual credit, STEM and CTE-STEM educational environment