BCSER: Investigating Factors that Influence African American Students’ Selection of Computational Internships and Careers

该项目旨在使首席研究人员能够进行探索性研究项目，同时获得进行强有力的STEM教育研究的技能和能力。研究部分将审查影响非裔美国学生决定从事需要量化和计算技能的职业的因素和经验。受指导的专业发展部分将为调查员提供定性研究设计和方法方面的专门知识，并提供实验干预设计方面的专业知识。该项目将分三个阶段实施：(1)培养定性研究方法、基于设计的研究和定性数据分析技术的能力；(2)在导师的指导下收集访谈和定性数据；(3)制定一项试点干预措施，以提高非裔美国学生对强调定量和计算科学能力的专业和职业的兴趣。除了扩大历史上黑人学院和大学进行STEM教育研究的学者基础外，该项目还将促进对寻求计算职业和实习的非裔美国学生的经历和职业决策过程的理解。指导该研究的假设是，结构化的大学课程、课外计划和活动、非裔美国人榜样和同龄人影响、归属感和自我效能感、教师建议和有效的招聘策略是积极影响非裔美国学生对计算相关专业和职业的认识和兴趣的变量。调查人员将使用三角视角，从学生、菲斯克大学STEM教师和行业招聘人员的角度考察影响非裔美国学生职业轨迹的因素。定性数据分析将考察社会、文化和背景因素对非裔美国学生在计算机和数学相关职业中的职业选择产生了什么以及如何影响。调查人员将分析来自访谈和焦点小组的数据，并应用基于设计的方法来框架拟议的干预-计算职业联盟，它将作为基础设施，在历史悠久的黑人学院和大学进行STEM教育研究的内部能力建设。这一干预还可能扩大非裔美国学生对STEM专业和职业的参与。该项目得到了EHR核心研究(ECR)计划的ECR：STEM教育研究竞赛中的能力建设的支持。ECR资助基础STEM教育研究项目，这些项目涉及STEM学习和学习环境、扩大STEM领域的参与和STEM劳动力发展。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 project is designed to enable the principal investigator to conduct an exploratory research project while acquiring skills and competencies to conduct robust STEM education research. The research component will examine factors and experiences that impact African American students’ decision to pursue careers that require quantitative and computational skills. The mentored professional development component will provide the investigator with expertise in qualitative research design and methods and with the design of an experimental intervention. The project will be implemented in three phases: (1) building capacity in qualitative research methods, design-based research, and analytic techniques of qualitative data; (2) collecting interview and qualitative data with the guidance of mentors; and (3) framing a pilot intervention to increase African American students’ interest in majors and careers that emphasize competencies in quantitative and computational sciences. In addition to expanding the base of scholars from Historically Black Colleges and Universities conducting STEM education research, the project will advance the understanding of the experiences and career decision-making process of African American students seeking computational careers and internships.The hypothesis guiding the research is that a structured college curriculum, extra-curricular programs and activities, African American role models and peer influence, sense of belonging and self-efficacy, faculty advising, and effective recruiting strategies are the variables that positively impact African American students’ awareness of and interest in computationally related majors and careers. The investigator will use a triangulation of perspectives to examine the factors that influence African American students’ career trajectories from the perspectives of students, STEM faculty at Fisk University, and industry recruiters. The qualitative data analysis will examine what and how social, cultural, and contextual factors impact African American students’ career selection in computing and math-related careers. The investigator will analyze data from interviews and focus groups and apply a design-based methodology to frame the proposed intervention - a Computational Career Alliance that will serve as an infrastructure to build internal capacity to conduct STEM education research at a Historically Black College and University. The intervention also can potentially broaden the participation of African American students in STEM majors and careers.The project is supported by the ECR: Building Capacity in STEM Education Research competition of the EHR Core Research (ECR) program. ECR funds fundamental STEM education research projects that address 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.