Collaborative Research: Talking About Leaving Revisited: Exploring the Contribution of Teaching in Undergraduate Persistence in the Sciences

这是一个混合方法的研究项目，探索什么已经和没有改变的本科生在科学，技术，工程和数学（STEM）专业的学习经验，因为最初的研究由伊莱恩西摩和南希休伊特，“谈论离开：为什么本科生离开科学（TAL-1），”发表于1997年。 这项研究的重点是各种因素对学生持久性的影响。 这也是自TAL-1以来，在多个机构中首次对STEM领域切换进行大规模调查，这些机构正在改变基础STEM课程的教学实践和学生支持形式。 这项研究正在探讨是否以及如何与学习经验的问题，发现是主要贡献者切换的决定已在原来的样本七所院校，以及这种变化是否使更多的学生在这些学科毕业。 这七所院校提供了一个有用的基线，以衡量教学环境的变化程度。这七所大学也代表了提供大多数STEM本科教育的所有类型的高等教育机构（社区学院除外）。 许多影响学生决定的因素正在审查和教师教学实践的独立措施正在使用课堂访问。 该项目有三个相互关联的组成部分研究：（1）基于国家和机构数据的STEM领域转换模式研究，（2）复制和扩展原始研究的转换者和非转换者访谈研究，以及（3）使用课程观察，教师访谈和对这些课程中所有学生的在线调查，对教授基础STEM课程的教师进行三部分研究。人种学数据将从三个来源收集：学生访谈，教师访谈，和学生写在网上调查的反应。教师访谈将探讨的过程，使和限制吸收现有的循证教学方法和材料。结构化的课堂观察和记录将使用教学维度观察协议（TDOP）进行，学生学习收获评估（SALG）在线工具的自定义版本将在基础课程中向所有学生提供。智力优势：在一些分析重点，研究将产生多层次的回归分析，以评估学生的人口统计和学术特征，SALG的反应，以及课程的特点，如教学方法预测学生从他们的专业切换的概率稍后在研究中。 它将确定预测转换的变量，以及各个预测因子的相对权重。这些分析将揭示基础STEM课程中使用的特定教学方法与其在学生中的持久性成果之间的联系。更广泛的影响：项目最后一年的传播计划包括编写研究简报、同行评议和流行文章以及一本书。 这些课程将在教育改革的背景下审查持久性问题。 调查结果将在七个研究地点向观众展示，包括STEM系，学院和研究生院的院长，主任和主席;对STEM改革感兴趣的资助机构;当前和未来的STEM博士生;教师顾问;以及STEM教育的学者。

This is a mixed-methods research project to explore what has and has not changed in the learning experiences of undergraduates in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) majors since the original study by Elaine Seymour and Nancy Hewitt, "Talking about Leaving: Why Undergraduates Leave the Sciences (TAL-1)," published in 1997. The study is focusing on the impact on student persistence of a variety of factors. This is also the first large scale investigation of STEM field-switching since TAL-1 across multiple institutions that are changing teaching practices and forms of student support in foundational STEM courses. This study is exploring whether and how problems with the learning experience found to be major contributors to switching decisions have been addressed at the original sample of seven institutions, and whether such changes enable more students to graduate in these disciplines. The seven institutions provide a useful baseline to gauge the extent of changes in the teaching and learning environment. These seven also represent the full range of types of higher education institutions providing most STEM undergraduate education (except for community colleges). Many factors affecting student decisions are being examined and independent measures of faculty teaching practices are being made using classroom visits. The project has three inter-related component studies: (1) a study of STEM fields-switching patterns based on national and institutional data, (2) a switcher and non-switcher interview study that replicates and extends the original research, and (3) a three-part study of instructors teaching foundational STEM courses using course observation, instructor interviews, and online surveys of all students in those courses. Ethnographic data will be gathered from three sources: student interviews, instructor interviews, and students' write-in responses to the online survey. Instructor interviews will explore the processes that both enable and constrain uptake of available evidence-based teaching methods and materials. Structured classroom observation and recording will be undertaken using the Teaching Dimensions Observational Protocol (TDOP), and a custom version of the Student Assessment of their Learning Gains (SALG) online instrument will be administered to all students in the foundational courses. Intellectual Merit: Among a number of analytical focal points, the study will produce multi-level regression analyses to assess how student demographic and academic characteristics, SALG responses, and course characteristics such as instructional methods predict the probability of students switching from their major later in the study. It will identify variables that predict switching, and the relative weight of individual predictors. These analyses will shed light on links between particular teaching methods used in foundational STEM courses and their persistence outcomes in students.Broader Impacts: The dissemination plan for the last year of the project includes preparation of research briefs, peer-reviewed and popular articles, and a book. These will examine issues of persistence in the context of educational change. Findings will be presented at the seven research sites to audiences that include deans, directors, and chairs of STEM departments, colleges, and graduate schools; to funding agencies interested in STEM reform; to current and prospective STEM doctoral students; to faculty advisors; and to scholars of STEM education.