EDUCERE: Ensuring Diversity and Undergraduate Completion: Enrichment and Retention In Engineering

北新墨西哥学院为77%未被充分代表的少数民族和准备不足的人口提供服务，前两年的流失率很高。工程与技术学院正在开发一个研究生成的知识库，通过使用基于证据的赖特州模型来创建一个介绍性的物理课程，学生将在基于理论的物理课程之前参加基于项目的活动，以了解学生群体如何最好地学习复杂的基础物理科学概念。对学生进行跟踪，以确定这种干预是否会提高学习、应用概念的能力和记忆力。此外，研究人员还研究了具有高度相互依存自我建构的美国原住民和西班牙裔学生，以确定他们是否对主动学习的反应比理论学习更好。调查人员将使用匹配的受试者样本方法和所罗门四组研究设计的修改。此外，正在研究本科生的研究经历，以确定它们是否能促进这些独特人群的保留率和未来职业道路的更清晰。该项目希望产生有效干预措施的新科学知识，从而使来自农村和紧密联系社区的学生留在工程专业。例如，在了解准备不足的人群如何最好地学习方面取得了进展；在未充分研究群体中有效的工程教学实践方面的教育研究贡献；并发现了一些成功的策略，可以扩大美国原住民、西班牙裔和女性在工程项目中的参与。拟议的工作可能会产生一个模型，可以传播到其他面临类似挑战的机构，或者那些专注于在其项目中多样化工程本科人口的机构。

Northern New Mexico College serves a 77% underrepresented minority and underprepared population with high attrition rates in the first two years. The College of Engineering and Technology is developing a research-generated knowledge base of how this student demographic best learns complex foundational Physical Science concepts by using the evidence-based Wright State model to create an introductory Physics course with project based activities that students will take prior to a theory-based Physics course. Students are being tracked to determine if this intervention leads to increases in learning, ability to apply concepts, and retention. Additionally, Native American and Hispanic students with high degrees of interdependent self-construal are being studied to determine if they respond better to active learning prior to theoretical learning. The investigators will use a matched subjects samples methodology and a modification of the Solomon four-group research design. In addition, undergraduate research experiences are being studied to determine if they foster retention and greater clarity on future career pathways among these unique populations. The project expects to generate new scientific knowledge of effective interventions leading to retention in engineering among students from rural and tightly knit communities. For example, advances in understanding of how under-prepared populations best learn; contributions to education research regarding effective practices in engineering teaching and learning among understudied groups; and discoveries on successful strategies that can broaden participation of Native Americans, Hispanics and women in engineering programs. The proposed work is likely to produce a model that can be disseminated to other institutions facing similar challenges, or those that are focusing on diversifying engineering undergraduate population in their programs.