Exploring the value of a digitized intervention on improving college readiness and interest in STEM for urban and rural secondary students

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The EHR Core Research (ECR) program emphasizes fundamental STEM education research that will generate foundational knowledge in the field. To that end, this project will extend the purpose of the College Ambition Program (CAP), a school-wide intervention designed to encourage high school students to become college applicants, particularly in STEM fields, and enroll in postsecondary school. The CAP will serve predominantly minority and low-income high school students and those with special needs in urban and rural areas where enrollment in postsecondary institutions is below the state average. While the CAP has been successful in raising postsecondary enrollment, a series of new digital experiences will be created and added to the program to further students' college readiness and increase their interest in STEM fields. CAP students will be provided opportunities to access a variety of playlists on a digitized platform that will monitor and rewards personalized learning. Tailored to students' interests and strengths, playlists will be designed to inspire motivation, advance college knowledge, and enhance particular skill sets. Students who successfully complete their playlists will earn a badge, which is a publicly shareable digital credential that will show evidence of a substantive learning outcome. Badges will entitle students to participate in STEM internships experiences in businesses and university programs that, when completed, will indicate a set of competencies that can positively impact their postsecondary acceptance when included on college applications. Collaboratively developed with CAP personnel, businesses, and university partners, the playlists will be designed to ensure that the badges and internships will provide clear paths to higher education and careers. Consisting of a series of primers, the gamified playlists will enable students to: set goals; pace their learning activities; receive embedded feedback; and receive a tangible reward upon completion. Students will engage in unique, customized knowledge and skill-building learning experiences not typically found in high schools, but will be viewed as advantageous for admission and persistence in higher education. The social and emotional experiences students will have during these experiences will be measured using smartphone technology synced to a technological playlist/badge platform. Data retrieved from the smartphones will be analyzed using multivariate methods that account for multiple differences between students. This empirical evaluation of the effectiveness of the playlist experiences will allow for the collection of data to support the inclusion of technological tracking and strategic planning in programs that will improve college-going rates and enhance participation in STEM for underrepresented students.