Collaborative Research:Beyond Representation: Adversity Experiences on STEM Motivation, Performance, and Persistence

了解逆境经历对STEM持久性和绩效的影响，对于扩大传统上代表性不足的群体的个人参与具有重要意义。佐治亚州立大学和宾夕法尼亚州立大学的研究人员旨在研究逆境经历对学生攻读STEM专业的动机以及学生在STEM学位项目中的坚持性和表现的影响。该项目旨在开发和使用一个模型，该模型预测不同的逆境来源如何影响STEM动机、坚持性和绩效。该项目与EHR核心研究计划的目标一致，即应对STEM兴趣、学习和参与方面的挑战。纵向研究将包括对两家大型、服务于少数群体和经济多元化的公共研究机构注册的1000名STEM专业一年级、一年级学生的调查。该项目旨在从潜在概况分析中得出逆境概况，以指导调查逆境、动机和留在STEM领域的决定之间的联系。该项目试图确定逆境的模式，并确定哪些特征与STEM的坚持性和成就有最强的联系，检查动机和表现的纵向模式如何作为逆境的函数，并确定逆境特征和逆境水平如何随时间变化。将考察人口统计差异以及STEM系和大学之间的差异。本项目旨在促进关于逆境经历对STEM动机的影响的知识，可用于开发针对其STEM动机和表现受到多维逆境抑制的学生的干预措施。该项目由EHR核心研究计划资助，该计划支持以STEM学习和学习环境、扩大对STEM的参与和STEM专业劳动力发展为重点的基础研究。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。

Understanding the impact of adversity experiences on STEM persistence and performance is significant to broaden participation of individuals from groups that have been traditionally underrepresented. Researchers at Georgia State University and Pennsylvania State University aim to study the effects of adversity experiences on student motivation to pursue STEM majors and student persistence and performance in STEM degree programs. The project aims to develop and use a model that predicts how different sources of adversity affect STEM motivation, persistence, and performance. This project aligns with the EHR Core Research program’s goal of addressing challenges in STEM interest, learning, and participation.The longitudinal study will include surveys of 1000 first-time, first-year STEM majors enrolled in introductory Chemistry and Psychology courses at two large minority-serving and economically diverse public research institutions. The project aims to produce adversity profiles, derived from Latent Profile Analysis, that will guide investigations of links among adversity, motivation, and decisions to remain in STEM fields. The project seeks to identify patterns of adversity and determine which profiles have the strongest association with STEM persistence and achievement, examine how longitudinal patterns in motivation and performance operate as a function of adversity, and determine how adversity profiles and adversity levels change over time. Demographic differences and differences between STEM departments and universities will be examined. This project seeks to advance knowledge about adversity experiences’ impact on STEM motivation that may be used to develop interventions that target students whose STEM motivation and performance are inhibited by multidimensional adversity. The project is funded by the EHR Core Research program that supports fundamental research focused on STEM learning and learning environments, broadening participation in STEM, and STEM professional 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.