A researcher studying STEM major persistence selects Tinto’s…
A researcher studying STEM major persistence selects Tinto’s Theory of Student Departure as her theoretical foundation. The theory posits that retention depends on academic integration (grades, intellectual engagement) and social integration (peer relationships, campus involvement), moderated by commitment to the institution and major. The researcher develops a conceptual framework that proposes STEM-specific modifications: Belonging in STEM may depend less on general campus involvement and more on STEM-specific peer communities Family attitudes toward STEM (particularly for women and underrepresented minorities) may influence major commitment in ways Tinto doesn’t explicitly address “Intellectual engagement” in STEM may be interpreted differently by students with different prior math/science backgrounds STEM-specific identity development may mediate the relationship between social integration and retention differently than in general college populations The researcher operationalizes Tinto’s core constructs (GPA, peer relationships, institutional commitment) quantitatively while using qualitative interviews to explore STEM-specific mechanisms her framework proposes. The relationship between Tinto’s theory and this researcher’s conceptual framework is best understood as: