Broadening Participation Research: Fostering Retention in STEM Disciplines at Minority Serving Institutions

塔斯基吉大学的研究人员将利用先前研究的结果，开发一个影响HBCU STEM学生保留率的社会心理和制度结构因素模型。目前的项目将通过收集更多的数据，包括西班牙裔服务机构（HSI）扩大研究。更具体地说，他们将研究先前确定的心理社会和结构因素的相互作用，并继续研究那些最有可能成功留住这些机构STEM管道中学生的组合。 研究人员将采用现象学定性研究、定量调查和二手数据定量分析三阶段混合方法，探讨四个研究问题：（1）哪些社会心理因素影响少数民族服务机构STEM学科学生的保留率？这些影响以何种方式表现出来？ (2)结构性因素如何影响少数民族服务机构STEM学科的保留率？(3)什么样的影响，如果有的话，做心理社会因素似乎有结构性因素，旨在支持学生保留在STEM学科的有效性？(4)在为不同少数群体服务的机构中，心理社会和结构因素对STEM保留的明显影响有哪些差异和相似之处？预计新的抽样群体将产生16个重点小组，共有80至112名参与者。人口样本将包括目前的STEM学生，管理人员和工作人员，教师和STEM项目的毕业生。研究者提出以结构方程模型进行定量数据分析，以轴向和选择性编码进行定性分析。了解这些影响的相互作用及其对彼此和保留的影响将使研究人员能够进一步完善模型，并对少数民族服务机构的STEM项目产生更清晰的观点。该项目得到了历史上黑人学院和大学本科生计划（HBCU-UP）的支持，扩大了教育轨道的参与研究。该计划轨道支持想法创建和研究新的模型和创新在干教学和学习，调查影响学生的差异参与和成功率的潜在问题，从代表性不足的群体，并产生知识，告知干教育实践和干预措施。

Researchers at Tuskegee University will leverage the results of prior research to develop a model of psychosocial and institutional structural factors that influence the retention of STEM students at HBCUs. The current project will expand the research by collecting additional data and including Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs). More specifically, they will examine the interaction of the psychosocial and structural factors identified previously and continue to examine those combinations that are most likely to produce success in retaining students in the STEM pipeline at these institutions. The study has the potential to positively impact undergraduate STEM education at all institutions.The researchers will use a three-phase mixed-methods approach involving phenomenological qualitative research, quantitative surveys, and quantitative analysis of secondary data to investigate four research questions: (1) What psychosocial factors appear to affect the retention of students in STEM disciplines at minority-serving institutions? In what ways are those effects manifested? (2) How do structural factors influence retention rates in STEM disciplines at minority-serving institutions? (3) What influence, if any, do psychosocial factors appear to have on the effectiveness of structural factors which are intended to support student retention in STEM disciplines? (4) What differences and similarities are there in the apparent influence of psychosocial and structural factors on STEM retention at institutions serving different minority populations? The new sample populations are expected to yield 16 focus groups with a total of 80-112 participants. Population samples will include current STEM students, administrators and staff, faculty, and graduates of STEM programs. The researchers propose to structural equation modeling for the quantitative data analysis and axial and selective coding for the qualitative analysis. Understanding the interplay of these influences and their effects on each other and on retention will allow the researchers to further refine the model and produce a clearer perspective about STEM programs at minority-serving institutions. This project is supported by the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Undergraduate Program (HBCU-UP) Broadening Participation Research in Education track. This program track supports ideas to create and study new models and innovations in STEM teaching and learning, investigate the underlying issues affecting the differential participation and success rates of students from underrepresented groups, and produce knowledge to inform STEM education practices and interventions.