HSI Planning Project: Examining Inclusion and Other Variables of STEM Retention at a Faith-Based, Residential University

在改善本科STEM教育的支持下：西班牙裔服务机构（HSI计划），这个轨道1：规划项目旨在对南方基督复临大学STEM学生群体的需求进行机构研究，确定和学习改善与保留相关的具体问题的策略，并培训教师在课堂上适当地实施这些策略。南方复临大学（Southern Adventist University）的西班牙裔学生在STEM领域的流失率高于其他种族/族裔群体，但该大学目前缺乏对流失点和原因的了解，也缺乏制定循证解决方案所需的知识和技能。为了获得这种理解和知识，该项目将(1)记录与校园气候相关的STEM学生流失；学术、社会和经济支持；课程与教学策略；职业意识；(2)确定基于证据的实践，以提高STEM学生的保留率；(3)培训教师和工作人员在未来的第二轨道实施和评估项目中实施确定的战略。这些活动将有助于提高留校和成功的结果，并为所有学生带来更好的结果。由于STEM职业收入高，需求量大，保留和毕业更多的STEM专业有助于有需要的社区和行业，并支持有志于增加社会流动性的年轻专业人士。其结果将与其他机构有关，并将对知识体系作出贡献，特别与宗教机构和小型东南大学有关。教师培训将为大学带来持久的好处，因为教师将他们的知识应用到未来的课堂上，并为更具包容性的校园氛围和强大的STEM文化做出贡献。规划项目将导致全面的需求评估和循证策略的确定，以提高学生在STEM项目的保留在一所小型大学是田纳西州唯一的HSI。该项目的具体目标是：(1)收集和分析机构和学生的数据，以确定流失的原因和与归属感、自我效能感、文化包容、校园气候、经济或心理健康支持、社会支持和职业道路知识相关的感知需求；(2)从文献综述中确定满足已确定需求的策略排名，并从文献和同行机构中了解这些策略；(3)根据文献综述、与其他机构的讨论，确定教员培训需求，并收集数据，对至少75%的STEM教员实施教员培训。内部研究和评估将对阻碍或促进学生成功的因素进行分析，并确定STEM学生流失或成功的原因、感知到的学生需求、与STEM学生合作的机构策略、其他机构使用的策略以及STEM教师的培训需求。结果将产生制定未来第二轨道提案所需的知识，并为STEM学生成功相关的知识体系做出贡献。HSI计划旨在加强HSI的本科STEM教育和能力建设。HSI计划支持的项目也将产生关于如何实现这些目标的新知识。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。

With support from the Improving Undergraduate STEM Education: Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI Program), this Track 1: Planning Project aims to conduct an institutional study of the needs of Southern Adventist University’s STEM student population, identify and learn about strategies to improve specific issues related to retention, and train faculty to implement these strategies as appropriate in the classroom. Hispanic students at Southern Adventist University have higher attrition in STEM than other racial/ethnic groups, but the university currently lacks an understanding of the attrition points and causes and the knowledge and skills needed to plan evidence-based solutions. To gain this understanding and knowledge, this project will (1) document STEM student attrition related to campus climate; academic, social, and financial supports; curriculum and pedagogical strategies; and career awareness; (2) identify evidence-based practices to improve retention of students in STEM; and (3) train faculty and staff to implement identified strategies in a future Track 2 Implementation and Evaluation Project. These activities will contribute to improved outcomes for retention and success and lead to better outcomes for all students. As STEM careers pay well and are in high demand, retaining and graduating more STEM majors helps the communities and industries in need and supports young professionals aspiring to increase their social mobility. The results will be relevant to other institutions and will contribute to the body of knowledge, with special relevance to religious-based institutions and small southeastern universities. Faculty training will have lasting benefits at the university as faculty apply their learnings in future classrooms and contribute to a more inclusive campus climate and strong STEM culture.The Planning Project will result in a comprehensive needs assessment and identification of evidence-based strategies to improve student retention in STEM programs at a small university that is the only HSI in Tennessee. The specific aims of the project are to (1) collect and analyze institutional and student data to identify causes of attrition and perceived needs related to sense of belonging, self-efficacy, cultural inclusion, campus climate, financial or mental health support, social support, and knowledge of career pathways; (2) identify a ranked list of strategies from a literature review to address the identified needs and learn about these strategies from the literature and peer institutions; and (3) identify faculty training needs based on literature review, discussions with other institutions, and collected data and implement faculty training for at least 75% of the STEM faculty. The internal study and evaluation will generate an analysis of factors that impede or promote success in students and will identify causes of attrition or success for students in STEM, perceived student needs, institutional strategies for working with students in STEM, other institutions’ use of strategies, and the training needs of STEM faculty. Results will generate the knowledge needed to develop a future Track 2 proposal and contribute to the body of knowledge related to student success in STEM. The HSI Program aims to enhance undergraduate STEM education and build capacity at HSIs. Projects supported by the HSI Program will also generate new knowledge on how to achieve these aims.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.