Investigating Community College to PhD: Developing Graduate Aspirations Among Upward Transfer Students in Computing and Technology

这项研究将调查参与早期干预是否对向上转移的社区大学计算机专业学生的研究生入学抱负和入学人数有积极的预测作用，以及这是否会因性别、种族/民族、第一代大学地位或社会经济地位而有所不同。这项大学研究还将考虑影响他们决策的因素。这项干预措施将在加州大学系统内的五个校区实施，跟踪学生从预科转到其中一个校区到计算机研究生课程的时间。本研究将以社会认知生涯理论为指导，探讨四个研究问题：(1)参与早期干预计划是否正向预测计算机专业学生的升学意向与升学意向？这在性别、种族/民族、第一代大学地位或社会经济地位方面是否存在差异？(2)在向上转移的计算机专业中，转移后的经历还能预测毕业生的抱负和入学情况吗？(3)向上转移的学生如何体验和理解早期干预计划？以及(4)向上迁移的学生是如何渴望读计算机专业的研究生的？是什么因素影响了他们的决策？调查人员将使用多种方法来检查拟议干预措施的纵向影响，并使用阶段性创新设计来分析数据。该项目可以为从社区大学到计算机博士课程的路径设计提供信息，从而使计算教师多样化。该奖项由电子健康记录核心研究(ECR)计划资助，该计划以STEM专业劳动力发展为主题。ECR支持针对STEM学习和学习环境、扩大对STEM的参与以及STEM劳动力发展的基础研究。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。

The study will investigate whether participation in early intervention positively predicts graduate school aspirations and enrollment among upward transfer community college computing students and whether this differs by gender, race/ethnicity, first generation college status, or socioeconomic status. The college study also will consider factors that shape their decision making. The intervention will be implemented across five campuses within the University of California system, tracking students from the time they transfer to one of the campuses through matriculation unto graduate programs in computing. By empirically examining the impact of different aspects of the intervention, the study will provide guidance for how to most efficiently promote graduate school aspirations and intentions among upward transfer students in computing and other STEM fields.Guided by Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT), the study will investigate four research questions: (1) Does participation in the early intervention program positively predict graduate school aspirations and enrollment among upward transfer computing students? Does this differ by gender, race/ethnicity, first-generation college status, or socioeconomic status? (2) What other post-transfer experiences predict graduate aspirations and enrollment among upward transfers in computing? (3) How do upward transfer students experience and make meaning of the early intervention program? And (4) How do upward transfer students aspire to graduate school in computing? What factors shape their decision making? Investigators will employ multiple methods to examine the longitudinal impact of the proposed intervention and a Staged Innovation Design to analyze the data. The project could inform the design of pathways from community college to doctoral programs in computing, thereby, diversifying the computing faculty. The award is funded by the EHR Core Research (ECR) program, STEM professional workforce development theme. ECR supports fundamental research that addresses STEM learning and learning environments, broadening participation in STEM, and STEM workforce development.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.