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

近一半的本科生谁追求STEM学科最终改变领域。许多离开STEM专业的人是在参加了作为学位课程“守门人”的入门课程后离开的。分数低和对入门课程的兴趣是留住学生的重要障碍。一项初步研究表明，在大学生涯后期完成生物学导论I的本科生比在第一年完成课程的学生成绩更低，更有可能失败。这个项目的目标是确定动机和学术因素，推动一年级和高年级学生在介绍生物学的表现。该项目将涉及结构化面试的分析，并制定和实施一项全面的调查，以评估学生对生物学导论的态度和信念。最终，这项工作将告知方法，促进所有学生在入门课程的成功。此外，该项目可能会确定可以减少学生群体之间成绩差距的干预措施，包括那些在STEM领域历史上被边缘化的学生。拟议的项目包括一个量身定制的专业发展计划，将推进PI的专业知识进行生物教育研究。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。这个机会将使PI在生物学教育中建立一个重点领域，满足国家对生物学教育研究人员的需求，并为下一代教育研究人员的培训做出贡献。在大学入门课程中的表现与保留和学位完成直接相关。很少有研究调查课程完成的时间可能会影响学生的动机和学业成绩。初步数据表明，尽管在大学阶段有更多的经验，但在大学第一年后首次尝试生物学导论I的学生比一年级学生的成绩要差得多。拟议的项目旨在确定潜在的动机和学术因素，有助于一年级和高年级学生在生物学导论的表现。这项研究将涉及肯塔基州大学生物学导论I的学生（每年招生= 1,300人）。这项研究将有足够的力量来探讨特定的学生子集，如代表性不足的少数民族和第一代学生。一个混合的方法设计将涉及结构化面试的分析和全面的调查，以评估学生的态度和信念的介绍生物学的发展和实施。该项目将利用大规模调查数据的统计能力来确定推动业绩的潜在变量。确定一年级和高年级学生之间的动机和成绩的差异将代表对该领域的基本贡献，并为课程和教学干预提供信息。研究目标将使用通过专业发展计划获得的技能来实现，该计划包括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工作组。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研究方法，进行严格的基础研究，并为该领域贡献新知识。EHR核心研究：STEM教育研究能力建设（ECR：BCSER）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，该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并被认为值得通过使用基金会的知识产权进行评估来支持。优点和更广泛的影响审查标准。

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.