Creating Data Science Pathways for STEM Student Success

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This award is funded in whole or in part under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Public Law 117-2). This project aims to serve the national interest by developing and implementing a data science program through a multilayered approach that can be used as a model for other postsecondary institutions. The model will contextualize mathematics course content, reduce attrition in lower-division gateway courses, and facilitate senior college transfer. The resulting data science program will address the educational achievement gap among groups traditionally underrepresented in STEM. The new data science program will promote structural systemic reforms through the integration of support services within a sustainable, institutional framework. An additional focus will be on curricular reforms through the development of data science content. Curriculum development will involve the infusion of data science concepts into five existing mathematics courses and the creation of two new/redesigned data science courses. These efforts aim to contribute to the development of students’ data literacy by enhancing their conceptual understanding, integrating the use of real-life data, and fostering active learning. This project will address the problems of loss of interest, culturally unresponsive instruction, insufficient career information, and anxiety about mathematics and related subjects. This work will generate evidence that will improve the understanding of how the use of a guided pathways model can help students successfully transition from lower-division to upper-division coursework in data science. Qualitative and quantitative data will be collected from multiple sources to respond to the evaluation questions. A review of relevant program documentation will provide detailed information regarding the fidelity of the implementation of programmatic activities. In addition to program records, observations of course sessions and interviews with program staff will provide insight into the quality of the project activities. Descriptive statistics, such as frequencies and means, will be reported for various demographic and participant profile data. Cross-tabulations and inferential statistics will be used to analyze program perception data. An external evaluator will provide an ongoing formative evaluation that will enable the project team to monitor and improve project activities. The NSF program description on Advancing Innovation and Impact in Undergraduate STEM Education at Two-year Institutions of Higher Education supports projects that advance STEM education initiatives at two-year colleges. The program description promotes innovative and evidence-based practices in undergraduate STEM education at two-year colleges.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.