RAPID: Decision-Making Processes in STEM Students during and after the COVID-19 Pandemic

历史上的黑人学院和大学-本科生计划支持RAPID项目时，有一个严重的紧迫性，关于可用性，或访问，数据，设施或专用设备，包括对自然或人为灾害和类似的意外事件的快速反应研究，如COVID-19大流行病。 北卡罗来纳州AT州立大学的这个项目旨在发展理论，解释和预测流行病期间和之后在科学、技术、工程和数学（STEM）领域学习的学生的决策过程。这些理论将告知和改变高等教育机构在未来的全球性灾害的适应和弹性。提高机构弹性将最大限度地减少对STEM学生功能和表现的干扰，减少自然减员，并加强进入STEM劳动力队伍。本科生作为研究者参与了这个项目。实质性的理论将被构建来解释和预测流行病期间本科STEM学生的认知即兴决策过程。具有关键事件和符号互动强调的建构主义扎根理论方法将允许使用迭代和归纳的数据收集过程，同时进行分析和解释。方法三角测量将涉及通过访谈，调查和来自六个机构的STEM学生，教师和管理人员的学术成绩单获得的主要数据。紧急代码的比较和迭代合成将提供对COVID-19大流行期间学生特征，生活经验，认知即兴决策和STEM表现之间存在的相互作用的见解。实质性的理论将告知和改变高等教育机构在未来的全球灾害的适应和弹性。提高机构弹性将最大限度地减少对STEM性能的干扰，减少STEM的流失，并加强学生进入STEM劳动力队伍。理论也将推进与认知决策过程相关的研究和实践，在其他情况下，特别是其他高风险的灾难。这个快速奖是由历史上的黑人学院和大学-人力资源开发部，教育和人力资源局本科课程，使用冠状病毒援助，救济，该奖项反映了NSF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。

The Historically Black Colleges and Universities - Undergraduate Program supports RAPID projects when there is a severe urgency with regard to availability of, or access to, data, facilities or specialized equipment, including quick-response research on natural or anthropogenic disasters and similar unanticipated events, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. The project at North Carolina A&T State University seeks to develop theories that explain and predict decision making processes in students studying in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields during and after pandemics. These theories will inform and transform the adaptation and resiliency of Institutions of Higher Education during future global disasters. Improved institutional resiliency will minimize disruptions to STEM student functioning and performance, reduce attrition, and strengthen progression into the STEM workforce. Undergraduate students are involved as researchers in this project.Substantive theories will be constructed to explain and predict cognitive improvisation decision making processes in undergraduate STEM students during pandemics. A constructivist grounded theory approach with critical incident and symbolic interactionist emphasis will allow the use of iterative and inductive processes of data collection with simultaneous analysis and interpretation. Methodological triangulation will involve primary data obtained through interviews, surveys, and academic transcripts from STEM students, faculty, and administrators in six institutions. The comparative and iterative synthesis of emergent codes will provide insights into interactions existing among student characteristics, lived experiences, cognitive improvisation decisions, and STEM performance during the COVID-19 pandemic. Substantive theories will inform and transform the adaptation and resiliency of institutions of higher education during future global disasters. Improved institutional resiliency will minimize disruptions to STEM performance, reduce STEM attrition, and strengthen student progression into the STEM workforce. Theories will also advance research and practice related to cognitive decision-making processes in other contexts, particularly other high risk disasters.This RAPID award is made by the Historically Black Colleges and Universities - Undergraduate Program in the Division of Human Resource Development, Directorate of Education and Human Resources, using funds from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.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.