ABSTRACT
Guided by social cognitive career theory (SCCT; Lent et al. in J Vocat Behav 45(1):79-122, 1994), we assessed sociocultural (e.g., home-school cultural value mismatch) and contextual barriers (e.g., institutional climate) in science education and career development at both a baccalaureate-granting institution (BGI) and community college (CC) among 263 students (72.4% female; Mage = 22.96, SD = 5.70) in the USA. For BGI students, path analyses suggest proximal factors such as in-class prejudice negatively predicted science self-efficacy and prejudice from faculty and staff predicted lower career outcome expectations. For CC students, home-school cultural value mismatch directly predicted science career goals. Implications for future research, intervention and policy are discussed.
Déterminants socioculturels et contextuels dans l'objectif de poursuivre une carrière scientifique dans un collège communautaire et un établissement délivrant le baccalauréat Guidés par la théorie sociale cognitive de la carrière (SCCT; Lent et al., 1994), nous avons évalué les barrières socioculturelles (p. ex. le décalage entre les valeurs culturelles de l'école et de la famille) et contextuelles (par exemple, le climat institutionnel) dans l'enseignement des sciences et le développement de carrière dans un établissement conférant le baccalauréat (BGI) et un collège communautaire (CC) parmi 263 étudiant·e·s (72,4% femmes; Mage = 22,96, SD = 5,70) aux États-Unis. Pour les étudiant·e·s de BGI, les analyses suggèrent que les facteurs proximaux tels que les préjugés dans la classe prédisent négativement l'auto-efficacité scientifique et que les préjugés du corps enseignant et du personnel prédisent des attentes plus faibles en matière de carrière. Pour les étudiants CC, le décalage des valeurs culturelles entre la famille et l'école prédit directement les buts de carrière scientifique. Les implications pour les recherches futures, les interventions et les politiques sont discutées.
Determinantes socioculturales y contextuales de las metas en carreras científicas en un colegio comunitario e instituciones que otorgan grados en bachillerato (103R1) Guiados por la teoría social cognitiva de la carrera (SCCT; Lent et al., 1994), evaluamos las barreras socioculturales (p. ej., el desajuste cultural entre el hogar y la escuela) y las barreras contextuales (p. ej., el clima institucional) en la educación científica y el desarrollo profesional tanto en un bachillerato como en una institución otorgante (BGI) y colegio comunitario (CC) entre 263 estudiantes (72.4% mujeres; Edad = 22.96, SD = 5.70) en los Estados Unidos. Para los estudiantes de BGI, los análisis de ruta sugieren factores proximales como el prejuicio en la clase que predijo negativamente la autoeficacia científica y el prejuicio de la facultad y el personal predijeron expectativas de resultados profesionales más bajas. Para los estudiantes de CC, el desajuste de los valores culturales entre el hogar y la escuela predijo directamente las metas de la carrera científica. Se discuten las implicaciones para futuras investigaciones, intervenciones y políticas.
ABSTRACT
Undergraduate research programs at community colleges maximize their impact through partnerships with baccalaureate-granting institutions, which provide much needed access to subject matter experts, research labs, and funding to underserved students. The program Building Infrastructure Leading to Diversity: Promoting Opportunities for Diversity in Education and Research (BUILD PODER) partners baccalaureate-granting California State University, Northridge with community college faculty and students to facilitate undergraduate research and development at community colleges. Eighty-one community college students and 41 community college faculty mentors have participated in BUILD PODER, performing research in STEM and biomedical disciplines. The authors document student, faculty, and institutional outcomes as well as share best practices in forming community college-university partnerships. Future directions also are offered in the development and implementation of transdisciplinary, multi-institutional community college collaborations.
ABSTRACT
Genetic variants in DTNBP1 encoding the protein dysbindin-1 have often been associated with schizophrenia and with the cognitive deficits prominent in that disorder. Because impaired function of the hippocampus is thought to play a role in these memory deficits and because NMDAR-dependent synaptic plasticity in this region is a proposed biological substrate for some hippocampal-dependent memory functions in schizophrenia, we hypothesized that reduced dysbindin-1 expression would lead to impairments in NMDAR-dependent synaptic plasticity and in contextual fear conditioning. Acute slices from male mice carrying 0, 1, or 2 null mutant alleles of the Dtnbp1 gene were prepared, and field recordings from the CA1 striatum radiatum were obtained before and after tetanization of Schaffer collaterals of CA3 pyramidal cells. Mice homozygous for the null mutation in Dtnbp1 exhibited significantly reduced NMDAR-dependent synaptic potentiation compared to wild type mice, an effect that could be rescued by bath application of the NMDA receptor coagonist glycine (10 µM). Behavioral testing in adult mice revealed deficits in hippocampal memory processes. Homozygous null mice exhibited lower conditional freezing, without a change in the response to shock itself, indicative of a learning and memory deficit. Taken together, these results indicate that a loss of dysbindin-1 impairs hippocampal plasticity which may, in part, explain the role dysbindin-1 plays in the cognitive impairments of schizophrenia.
