Stemming the Diffusion of Responsibility

A Longitudinal Case Study of America’s Chemistry Teachers

Bibliographic Data

ID9731244
AuthorsGregory T Rushton (0000-0002-8687-132X, Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, GA, corresponding author), Herman E Ray (0000-0003-3444-098X, Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, GA), Brett Criswell (0009-0003-3208-3162, University of Kentucky), Brett A Criswell (University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY), Samuel J Polizzi (Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, GA), Clyde J Bearss (Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, GA), Nicholas Levelsmier (Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, GA), Himanshu Chhita (Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, GA), Mary Kirchhoff (American Chemical Society, Washington, DC), Mary M Kirchhoff (0000-0002-9527-6979, American Chemical Society)
Year2014
Volume43
Issue8
Pages390-403
Publication date2014-11-01
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueEducational Researcher (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0013-189X • E-ISSN: 1935-102X
PublisherAmerican Educational Research Association (AERA) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.3102/0013189x14556341
OpenAlexW2150297638
LanguageEN
Citations received3
References cited17

National initiatives to expand the aggregate science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) workforce reflect America’s goals to increase global competitiveness. However, the aggregation of STEM stakeholders may elicit a diffusion of responsibility because individuals assume others are already acting. Here, we perform a longitudinal case study of U.S. public school chemistry teachers to illustrate a diffusion of responsibility within the STEM community regarding who is responsible for the teacher workforce. Utilizing the 1987–2007 Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS) data, we determine how chemistry teacher demographics compare to other disciplines. Our results suggest that the aggregate success of STEM education initiatives may mask the need for discipline-specific reform. We describe reforms in the context of boundary objects and discuss implications for policy decisions as boundary crossings

Context (archaeology · Demographics · Economic growth · Economics · Management · Political science · Public relations · Sociology · Staffing · Workforce · Career Development and Diversity · Evaluation and Performance Assessment · Higher Education Governance and Development

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