Collaborative: Research Initiation: Uncovering the Effects of Stereotype Threats on Latinx Students' Success in Undergraduate Engineering

在美国，完成工程学位的拉丁裔学生的数量与他们在人口中日益增长的比例相比是不成比例的低。拉丁裔是用来代替拉丁裔或拉丁裔的中性术语，指的是认同拉美文化或种族的个人。影响Latinx的主要因素是什么？成功包括学生害怕被与他们的身份相关的负面刻板印象评判的日常经历，以及感受到遵守这些刻板印象的风险。这些负面经历被称为刻板印象威胁，在拉丁裔人口中很大程度上没有得到足够的研究。刻板印象威胁是一种导致负面校园氛围的行为，特别是在来自历史上被边缘化人群的少数族裔学生中。Latinx体验大学的环境可能对这些学生的学习和社会结果都有直接影响。然而，刻板印象威胁的性质和对拉美裔学生在工程项目上的成功和坚持不懈的影响还完全没有被研究。考虑到开放准入和改善少数族裔学术准备的倡议日益增多，成见威胁是拉丁裔学生攻读工程学学位的主要障碍。这个项目调查了刻板印象威胁如何影响Latinx学生在工程项目中的表现和坚持不懈。这个项目汇集了两个机构的工程学和教育学教师之间的跨学科合作：爱荷华州立大学，一个以白人为主的机构，以及德克萨斯大学圣安东尼奥分校，一个拉美裔服务的机构。通过使用焦点小组、调查和模拟工程考试，研究人员瞄准了三个研究目标：(1)确定拉美裔学生在本科工程项目中经历的性别和种族刻板印象，并确定学生为应对这些刻板印象威胁而采取的应对机制；(2)确定刻板印象威胁对学生成功的影响(即解决工程问题)；以及(3)确定刻板印象威胁对持久性指标(即自我效能感、机构从属关系和心理健康)的影响。该项目对扩大拉美裔学生对工程学的参与具有重要影响，因为结果将为工程学教育工作者提供信息，并有助于证明为所有学习者创造更具包容性和支持性的校园氛围的努力是合理的。因此，这项研究支持了多样化和装备精良的工程劳动力的发展，并为机构提供了一种方法来评估他们在学习环境中实现公平的进展。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

In the U.S., the number of Latinx students completing engineering degrees as compared to their growing representation in the population is disproportionately low. Latinx is the gender-neutral term used in lieu of Latino or Latina, refers to individuals who identify with Latin American culture or race. Major factors affecting Latinx? success include the everyday experiences where students fear being judged by the negative stereotypes associated with their identity and feeling at risk to conform to these stereotypes. These negative experiences are known as stereotype threats and have been largely understudied among the Latinx population. Stereotype threats, are one behavior that leads to negative campus climate, especially among minority students who come from historically marginalized populations. The climate in which Latinx experience college likely has a direct effect on both the learning and social outcomes of these students. Nevertheless, the nature and effect of stereotype threats on Latinx students' success and persistence in engineering programs are wholly understudied. Considering the growing initiatives to open access and improve academic preparation of minorities, stereotype threats represent major barriers for Latinx students in pursuing an engineering degree. This project investigates how stereotype threats affect Latinx students' performance and persistence in engineering programs. This project brings together an interdisciplinary collaboration between faculty in engineering and education across two institutions: Iowa State University, a Predominately White Institution, and the University of Texas at San Antonio, a Hispanic-Serving Institution. Through the use of focus groups, surveys , and mock engineering examinations, the researchers are targeting three research goals : (1) identify the gender and ethnic stereotypes that Latinx students experience in undergraduate engineering programs and identify the coping mechanisms students adopt to address these stereotype threats; (2) identify the effects of stereotype threats on student success (i.e. solving engineering problems); and, (3) identify the effects of stereotype threats on persistence indicators (i.e., self-efficacy, institutional affiliation, and psychological well-being). This project has an important impact on broadening participation of Latinx students in engineering, as results will inform engineering educators and help justify efforts on creating a more inclusive and supportive campus climate for all learners. As a result, this research supports the development of a diverse and well-equipped engineering workforce and provides a method for institutions to assess their progress toward equity in the learning environment.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.