Examining the Impact of Online Distance Education on Student Learning and Student Engagement in STEM Disciplines at Historically Black Colleges and Universities

智力价值利用混合方法的研究设计，这个教育研究项目的目的是增加关于科学、技术、工程和数学(STEM)学科的在线远程教育对历史上的黑人学院和大学(HBCU)的学生学习经验和结果的影响的一般知识库。因此，将设计一项定量研究来收集学生的数据？在线和传统STEM课程的学习风格、学术成果和学习经验。为了实现这一目标，将向参加STEM专业在线远程教育课程的本科生和HBCU参加传统STEM课程的本科生进行具有代表性的抽样调查。然后将使用描述性统计技术和多变量分析来分析定量数据。为了获得更深入的数据，将利用定性研究设计来检验就读于HBCU在线远程教育课程的本科生和就读于HBCU传统STEM课程的本科生在学习风格、学业成绩和学习经历方面的异同。为了实现这一目标，将对在线STEM课程的本科生和传统STEM课程的本科生进行个人和集体访谈。此外，所有访谈(个人和团体)都将被录音和转录，这些定性数据将使用扎根的理论方法进行分析。该研究项目包括定量和定性两个部分，将提供关于STEM学科的在线课程在多大程度上提高学生的学习和学术参与度的宝贵信息。此外，这个教育研究项目旨在确定以学生为中心的教学策略，以提高学生？在线学习体验，补充学生的学习方式，并为学生提供STEM课程内容的基础知识。广泛影响这一教育研究项目的更广泛影响包括增强HBCU和全国其他学院和大学的在线远程教育课程和STEM学科的传统课程，特别是针对代表性较低的学生群体(例如，非裔美国人、西班牙裔美国人等)。鉴于目前探索HBCU STEM领域在线远程教育有效性的研究有限，本研究项目的目标值得注意，因为最近的数据表明，高校STEM领域的在线远程教育课程有所增加。这项新颖的研究将提供关键数据，将导致HBCU在线和传统STEM课程的课程改进。此外，这项研究中将采用的混合方法研究设计将作为未来的研究模式，可以重复使用，以调查影响HBCU和全国其他学术机构STEM学科在线和传统课程有效性的复杂因素。因此，来自全国-S高校的STEM教授可以以S的设计和发现为基准，进行类似的研究，并验证他们探索在线远程教育对STEM学科的影响的研究数据。此外，将采用的传播策略旨在向STEM教职员工和教育研究人员通报S的研究结果及其对HBCU STEM学科在线教学实践和未来研究的影响。值得注意的是，从这项混合方法研究中收集的数据将在同行评议的期刊上发表学术论文，并在国家会议和会议上发表演讲，这将进一步扩大知识库，改进教学实践，并改进HBCU和美国其他学院和大学STEM学科的在线远程教育的设计、交付、评估和质量。此外，还将创建一个网站，作为HBCU在远程教育方面的在线储存库。这种方法将作为其他HBCU的资源，并将确保这些大学和学院能够获得尖端研究和最佳实践？关于STEM领域的远程教育。

Intellectual MeritUtilizing a mixed methods research design, the purpose of this educational research project is to increase the general knowledge base regarding the impact of online distance education in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines on student learning experiences and outcomes at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Thus, a quantitative study will be designed to collect data on students? learning styles, academic outcomes, and learning experiences in online and traditional STEM courses. To accomplish this goal, a survey will be distributed to a representative sample of undergraduate students enrolled in online distance education courses in the STEM disciplines and to those undergraduate students enrolled in traditional STEM courses at HBCUs. Quantitative data will then be analyzed using descriptive statistical techniques and multivariate analyses. To obtain more in-depth data, a qualitative research design will be utilized to examine similarities and differences in learning styles, academic outcomes, and learning experiences of undergraduate students enrolled in online distance education courses in the STEM disciplines and those students enrolled in traditional STEM courses at HBCUs. To achieve this aim, individual and group interviews will be conducted with undergraduate students enrolled in online STEM courses and those enrolled in traditional STEM courses. Further, all interviews (both individual and group) will be audio taped and transcribed, and this qualitative data will be analyzed utilizing the grounded theory approach. Including both a quantitative and qualitative component, this research project will provide valuable information regarding the extent to which online courses in the STEM disciplines enhance student learning and academic engagement. Moreover, this educational research project is designed to identify student-centered pedagogical strategies that enhance students? online learning experiences, complement students' learning styles, and provide students with a foundational knowledge of STEM course content.Broader ImpactsThe broader impacts of this education research project include the enhancement of online distance education courses and traditional courses in the STEM disciplines at HBCUs and other colleges and universities across the nation, particularly with underrepresented student populations (e.g., African Americans, Hispanic Americans, etc.). Given the fact that limited research exists exploring the effectiveness of online distance education in the STEM fields at HBCUs, the goals of this research project are noteworthy due to recent data that demonstrates an increase in online distance education courses in the STEM fields at colleges and universities. This novel research study will provide critical data that will lead to curriculum enhancements in online and traditional STEM courses at HBCUs. Moreover, the mixed methods research design that will be employed in this study will serve as a future research model that can be replicated to investigate complex factors that impact the effectiveness of online and traditional courses in STEM disciplines at HBCUs and other academic institutions around the country. Thus, STEM professors from the nation?s colleges and universities can use the study?s design and findings as a benchmark to conduct similar studies and validate data from their research exploring the impact of online distance education in the STEM disciplines. Furthermore, the dissemination strategy that will be employed is designed to inform STEM faculty and educational researchers of the study?s results and their implications for practice and future research regarding online instruction in STEM disciplines at HBCUs. Notably, the data collected from this mixed methods research study will yield scholarly publications in peer-reviewed journals and presentations at national meetings and conferences that will further expand the knowledge base, enhance pedagogical practices, and improve the design, delivery, evaluation, and quality of online distance education in the STEM disciplines at HBCUs and other colleges and universities in the nation. Further, a website will be created to serve as an online repository for HBCUs, regarding distance education. Such an approach will serve as a resource for other HBCUs, and it will ensure that such universities and colleges have access to cutting-edge research and ?best practices? on distance education in STEM fields.