BCSER Optimal Timing of Introductory Biology I: Implications for Motivation and Achievement

BCSER 生物学入门 I 的最佳时机：对动机和成就的影响

• 批准号: 2025046
• 负责人: Jennifer Osterhage
• 金额: $ 27.74万
• 依托单位: University of Kentucky Research Foundation
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2020
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2020-09-01 至 2024-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2025046&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: BCSER; Optimal; Timing; Introductory; Biology

Nearly half of undergraduate students who pursue STEM disciplines ultimately change fields. Many who leave STEM majors do so after taking introductory courses that serve as “gatekeepers” to degree progression. Low grades and interest in introductory courses are important barriers to retention. A preliminary study shows that undergraduates who complete Introductory Biology I later in their college career earn lower grades and are more likely to fail than students who complete the course within their first year. The goal of this project is to identify motivational and academic factors that drive performance among first-year and upper-level students in introductory biology. The project will involve analysis of structured interviews and the development and implementation of a comprehensive survey to assess students’ attitudes and beliefs about introductory biology. Ultimately, this work will inform approaches that foster success of all students in introductory coursework. Moreover, the project might identify interventions that could reduce achievement gaps among student groups, including those historically marginalized in STEM fields. The proposed project incorporates a tailored professional development plan that will advance the PI’s expertise in conducting biology education research. Through a certification program in educational research methods, mentorship from a leader in educational psychology, and participation in professional learning workgroups, the PI will gain skills necessary to fulfill research objectives. This opportunity will allow the PI to build a focal area in biology education, fill a national need for biology education researchers, and contribute to the training of the next generation of education researchers.Performance in introductory college coursework is directly correlated with retention and degree completion. Few studies have investigated how timing of course completion may affect students’ motivation and academic outcomes. Preliminary data indicate that, despite having more experience at the college level, students who first attempt Introductory Biology I after their first year of college have significantly worse outcomes than first-year students. The proposed project aims to identify underlying motivational and academic elements that contribute to the performance of first-year and upper-level students in introductory biology. The research will involve students enrolled in Introductory Biology I at the University of Kentucky (annual enrollment = 1,300). The study will be sufficiently powered to explore specific subsets of students such as under-represented minorities and first-generation students. A mixed methods design will involve analysis of structured interviews and the development and implementation of a comprehensive survey to assess students’ attitudes and beliefs about introductory biology. The project will harness the statistical power of large-scale survey data to identify latent variables that drive performance. Identifying differences in motivation and achievement between first-year and upper-level students would represent a fundamental contribution to the field and inform curricular and pedagogical interventions. The research aim will be fulfilled using skills gained through a professional development plan consisting of a certification program in educational research methods, mentorship from a leader in educational psychology, and participation in working groups. Through these opportunities, the PI will gain skills in survey design, qualitative methods, and advanced statistical analysis. The PI will develop a deep understanding of educational and social science research methods, perform rigorous fundamental research, and contribute new knowledge to the field. 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.

近一半攻读STEM学科的本科生最终换了专业。许多离开STEM专业的学生都是在修完入门课程后离开的，这些课程是学位升学的“看门人”。低分和对入门课程的兴趣是阻碍留校的重要障碍。一项初步研究表明，在大学生涯中较晚完成生物学入门I课程的本科生比第一年就完成这门课程的学生成绩更低，更容易不及格。这个项目的目标是确定驱动一年级和高年级学生生物学入门成绩的动机和学术因素。该项目将包括对结构化访谈的分析，以及制定和实施一项全面调查，以评估学生对生物学入门的态度和信念。最终，这项工作将告知培养所有学生在入门课程中取得成功的方法。此外，该项目可能会确定可以减少学生群体之间成就差距的干预措施，包括那些在STEM领域历史上被边缘化的学生。拟议的项目包含一个量身定制的专业发展计划，将提高PI在进行生物教育研究方面的专业知识。通过教育研究方法的认证计划，教育心理学领导者的指导，以及参与专业学习工作组，PI将获得实现研究目标所需的技能。这次机会将使PI能够建立生物教育的重点领域，填补国家对生物教育研究人员的需求，并为培养下一代教育研究人员做出贡献。大学入门课程的表现与留校率和学位完成率直接相关。很少有研究调查完成课程的时间如何影响学生的学习动机和学业成绩。初步数据表明，尽管在大学水平上有更多的经验，但在大学一年级后第一次尝试入门生物学I的学生比一年级学生的成绩要差得多。该项目旨在确定促进一年级和高年级学生在入门生物学方面表现的潜在动机和学术因素。这项研究将涉及肯塔基大学生物学入门I专业的学生（每年入学人数为1300人）。这项研究将有足够的动力来探索特定的学生群体，如代表性不足的少数民族和第一代学生。混合方法的设计将包括结构化访谈的分析，以及综合调查的发展和实施，以评估学生对生物学入门的态度和信念。该项目将利用大规模调查数据的统计力量来识别驱动性能的潜在变量。确定一年级学生和高年级学生在动机和成绩上的差异将是对该领域的根本性贡献，并为课程和教学干预提供信息。通过专业发展计划，包括教育研究方法的认证项目、教育心理学领导者的指导和工作小组的参与，研究目标将通过获得的技能来实现。通过这些机会，PI将获得调查设计、定性方法和高级统计分析方面的技能。PI将深入了解教育和社会科学的研究方法，进行严格的基础研究，并为该领域贡献新知识。该项目得到了EHR核心研究：STEM教育研究能力建设（ECR: BCSER）竞赛的支持，该竞赛旨在培养个人在STEM学习和学习环境中开展高质量基础STEM教育研究的能力，扩大STEM领域的参与，以及STEM劳动力的发展。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。