Burgoon, J M; Roebuck, A and Elliott, J W (2024) Evidence of opportunity gaps in construction education: A longitudinal analysis of student success. International Journal of Construction Education and Research, 20(1), pp. 83-97. ISSN 15578771
Abstract
There is a global demand for construction managers, and an undergraduate degree in a construction-related field offers some of the best prospects for entry into the profession. However, despite demand, undergraduate construction education programs continue to lack racial-ethnic diversity. This longitudinal case study explores and compares 1990 through 2009 and 2010 through 2017 enrollment trends and academic success outcomes (e.g. GPA and graduation rates) among undergraduate Latino/Hispanic and racially minoritized students and their respective peers at a large construction management program in the western United States (n = 3373). Statistically significant differences in academic success outcome variables, shown in literature to indicate evidence of opportunity gaps, were observed between groups. Furthermore, it was noted that the magnitude of some of these mean differences were larger between 2010 and 2017 when compared to the mean differences between 1990 and 2009. Recommendations, future research, limitations, and interpretation of the results are discussed.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | diversity; higher education; minority; opportunity gap |
| Index terms: | United States, longitudinal analysis, construction education, program, construction manager, evidence, case study, enrolment, higher education, undergraduate, profession, minority |
| Subjects: | evaluation and assessment methods, data collection methods, profession, institututions, curriculum development, data analysis and analytics, software systems, Geography, professional education, educational institutions, sociology, recruitment and enrolment |
| Topics: | Research Practice, Geographical Context, Roles and Professions, Digital Applications, Ethics, Education |
| Descriptive scope: | 4 PCEA |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here