BCSER: IID: Evaluating CURE Laboratory Benefits for Underprepared Students

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Evaluating Classroom Undergraduate Research Experience Laboratory Benefits for Underprepared StudentsClassroom Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE) laboratory experiences can make science more inclusive by giving large numbers of first-year students the experience of carrying out authentic research. The positive benefits of CUREs include increased analytical skills, technical skills, self-efficacy, and persistence in science. Most of the reported research on CUREs is from research-intensive institutions with selective admissions, and some CUREs have been intentionally limited to only high-achieving students. This research project will test the hypothesis that CUREs benefit students when implemented at an institution with a great diversity in student socioeconomic background and a large number of students who are educationally underprepared. The PI’s current expertise is in molecular biology research. Thus to successfully carry out this education research, the PI will pursue professional development to develop deep subject-matter knowledge in the field of biology education research, expertise in study design for education research, and expertise in statistical analysis of quantitative data. These goals will be achieved with the guidance of four expert mentors, and by taking summer classes in statistical analysis. This research project and the PI’s change in overall career trajectory will broaden participation in STEM careers by facilitating the transfer of successful pedagogies between different educational contexts. The CURE that will be studied is a Tiny Earth lab that was implemented in Introductory Biology I at a regional comprehensive university with an extremely diverse student body in socio-economic background and student preparation. The project research goals are to determine whether the CURE lab (1) increases student self-efficacy, project ownership, and perceptions of biology; (2) affects content knowledge in the associated lecture class; and (3) has longitudinal effects on persistence. For each goal, the PI will also specifically address whether underprepared students are differentially affected by the CURE lab. The PI will use established instruments to survey students, will compare student exam scores in the associated lecture class, and will compare enrollment in an upper-level required course. For each analysis, the PI will use regression models to control for student preparation and other co-variates. This research will enhance our understanding of how the effects of pedagogy differ between contexts, especially in effects on underprepared students, and it will enhance our understanding of the positive benefits of CUREs. The project is supported through the EHR Core Research: Building Capacity in STEM Education Research (ECR: BCSER) competition that is designed to build individuals’ capacity to carry out high quality fundamental STEM education research in STEM learning and learning environments, broadening participation in STEM fields, 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.