CAREER: Investigating the Critical Junctures: Strategies that Broaden Minority Participation in STEM Fields

该项目将对影响学生在教育渠道的关键时刻做出决定的因素进行系统和实证(定量和定性)的纵向研究。目标也是(A)扩大在科学、技术、工程和数学(STEM)领域的参与，以及(B)提高美国各高校在STEM和STEM相关领域的少数族裔本科生的招聘、留住和成功。具体地说，这项研究的目标是：(A)估计黑人和拉丁裔男性的背景、K-12教育和大学经历对他们通过STEM管道的流动或过渡的影响；(B)通过使用具有国家代表性的数据建立潜在模型来模拟这种决定；(C)利用当地收集的数据测试和改进潜在模型；以及(D)利用定性访谈来密切审查那些成功渡过关键关口的案例。该教育计划旨在每年培训一批黑人和拉丁裔博士生(例如，一年级12名，包括5名少数族裔男性，4名女性，2名受雇于社区大学)，通过将这项研究纳入研究生水平的研究设计/分析课程，就与STEM教育有关的问题进行实证研究，包括大规模的二级分析。其目标是培养具有进行严格研究/评估的技能的博士毕业生，并理解他们的社会责任，以利用这种能力为社会服务。学生作为学生研究人员和共同主持人参与其中。将为20-40名黑人和拉丁裔男性举行一次小型会议，作为扩大项目第五年参与的一种形式。通过这项研究获得的知识将加强对如何设计方案、制定政策和制定做法的理解，以改善STEM领域非裔美国人和拉丁裔男子的教育渠道。这项研究将通过以下项目成果为政策和实践提供信息：(1)研讨会，利用项目产生的知识，并使教师、管理人员、家长和更广泛的受众能够获得这些信息；(2)提供一个专门的网站，提供从这项研究调查中产生的信息和出版物，包括但不限于进度报告、初步研究结果、年度报告、实证研究摘要和期刊文章；(3)总结和分享项目结果的出版物，包括同行评议的期刊文章、一本书那么长的手稿，以及包括论文和学位论文在内的学生出版物；(4)就研究结果与PTA和当地学校官员会面；以及(5)为家长、教职员工和学生提供工具包，为扩大STEM领域的参与提供事实和“如何”建议。

This project will conduct a systematic and empirical (both quantitative and qualitative) longitudinal study of the factors that influence students' decisions at critical junctures in the educational pipeline. The goals are too (a) broaden participation in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields and (b) improve the recruitment, retention, and success of minority undergraduate men in STEM and STEM-related fields across colleges and universities in the United States. Specifically, the goals of this study are to (a) estimate the impacts of Black and Latino males' backgrounds, K-12 educational and college experiences on their movement or transition through the STEM pipeline (b) model such decisions by developing a latent model using nationally representative data (c) test and refine the latent model using locally collected data and (d) employ qualitative interviews to examine closely cases of those who successfully navigate through critical junctures. The educational plan is designed to train a cadre of Black and Latino doctoral students, each year (e.g., 12 in year one including 5 minority men, 4 women, 2 employed at community colleges), to conduct empirical research, including large-scale secondary analyses, on issues related to STEM education by integrating this research in graduate-level research design/analysis courses. The goal is to produce doctoral graduates who possess the skills to conduct rigorous research/evaluation and who understand their social responsibility to use such capabilities in service to society. Students are involved as student researchers and co-presenters. A mini-conference will be held for 20-40 Black and Latino males as a form of outreach in broadening participation in Year Five of the project. Knowledge resulting from this study will enhance understanding about how to design programs, formulate policies, and enact practices that improve the educational pipeline for African American and Latino men in STEM fields. The study will inform policy and practice through the following project outcomes: (1) Workshops that leverage the knowledge produced by the project and make such information accessible to teachers, administrators, parents, and more general audiences; (2) A dedicated website that provides access to information and publications that result from this research investigation including, but not limited to, progress reports, preliminary findings, annual reports, empirical research summaries and journal articles; (3) Publications that summarize and share findings from the project including peer-reviewed journal articles, a book-length manuscript, and student publications including theses and dissertations; (4) Meeting with PTA and local school officials about the findings of the study; and (5) Toolkits for parents, faculty members, and students that provide facts and "how to" advice for broadening participation in STEM fields.