HSI Implementation and Evaluation Project: Advancing the Reach and Scope of Supplemental Instruction

在改进的本科STEM教育：拉美裔服务机构(HSI计划)的支持下，该Track 2项目专注于通过扩大补充教学(SI)并使其适应在线学习环境，提高STEM学生在拉美裔服务机构(HSI)的入门课程中的留存率和成就率。SI是一个同伴促进的学术支持计划，由定期安排的课外协作学习课程组成。对训练有素的STEM专业人员的需求日益增长，但入门水平的科学和工程课程的学生流失率很高，限制了授予STEM学位的数量。此外，STEM领域的多样性和包容性仍然是一个主要问题，来自传统上代表性不足的背景的学生获得STEM学位的水平远远低于入学率。SI的参与是STEM入门课程高分和学生成功的积极预测因素，与不同背景的SI领导人的互动已被证明进一步有利于这些班级中代表不足的学生群体。该项目将扩大面对面和在线SI的提供，使SI更容易获得，并有利于不同的STEM学生群体，包括非传统学生和通勤学生。此外，该项目将寻求将SI领导的机会扩大到传统上代表性较低的学生群体。该项目旨在(1)确定SI计划对学生在科学入门课程中的留存和成功的影响，以及(2)确定SI计划对学生元认知、学习的情感成分以及对STEM教育和STEM职业的积极态度的影响。这个为期多年的项目将在三个连续的秋季学术学期中使用各种定量和定性的研究方法。调查结果将在三个学生组/组之间进行比较：参加要求面对面的SI课程的学生，参加要求在线SI课程的学生，以及参加SI课程是可选的学生。这项研究将深入了解面对面和在线SI实施对学生成功的影响，特别是在非传统和通勤的学生群体中，这些学生可能较难获得面对面的SI课程。此外，项目结果将有助于成功地使SI适应在线学习环境的最佳做法。在国家会议上和在各自STEM领域的同行评议的教育期刊上更广泛地传播研究结果，将使与会者能够利用同行促进的学习模式，与日益增长的STEM教育者社区分享见解和创新。HSI计划旨在加强本科生STEM教育，扩大STEM的参与，并建设HSIS的能力。鉴于高等教育机构的不同性质和背景，实现这些目标需要创新的方法，以激励机构和社区的变革，并促进基础研究(I)关于学生参与式学习，(Ii)关于如何有效地多样化和增加对STEM的参与，以及(Iii)提高我们对如何建设高等教育机构能力的理解。HSI计划支持的项目也将从这些方法中获得如何实现这些目标的新知识。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。

With support from the Improving Undergraduate STEM Education: Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI Program), this Track 2 project focuses on increasing STEM student retention and success in entry-level courses at a Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI) by expanding and adapting Supplemental Instruction (SI) to online learning environments. SI is a peer-facilitated academic support program consisting of regularly scheduled out-of-class collaborative learning sessions. There is growing demand for well-trained STEM professionals, but high rates of student attrition in introductory level science and engineering courses limit the number of STEM degrees awarded. Additionally, diversity and inclusion in STEM fields remains a major concern, with students from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds earning STEM degrees at levels well below rates of enrollment. SI participation is a positive predictor of higher grades and student success in introductory STEM courses, and interaction with SI leaders of diverse backgrounds has been shown to further benefit underrepresented student groups in these classes. This project will expand face-to-face and online SI offerings to make SI more accessible and beneficial to a diverse group of STEM students, including non-traditional and commuting students. In addition, the project will seek to expand SI leadership opportunities to traditionally underrepresented student groups. The project aims to (1) determine the impact of the SI program on student retention and success in introductory science courses, and (2) determine the effect of the SI program on student’s metacognition, affective components of learning, and positive attitudes toward STEM education and STEM careers. This multi-year project will employ a variety of quantitative and qualitative research methods over a period of three successive fall academic terms. Findings will be compared among three student groups/ sets: those who attend required face-to-face SI sessions, those who attend required online SI sessions, and those for whom SI session attendance is optional. The research will provide insight into the effect of face-to-face and online SI implementations on student success, particularly among non-traditional and commuter student populations to whom face-to-face SI sessions may be less accessible. In addition, the project findings will contribute to best practices for successful adaptation of SI to online learning environments. Broader dissemination of the findings at national conferences and in peer-reviewed educational journals of respective STEM fields will allow participants to share insights and innovations with the growing community of STEM educators leveraging peer-facilitated learning models. The HSI Program aims to enhance undergraduate STEM education, broaden participation in STEM, and build capacity at HSIs. Achieving these aims, given the diverse nature and context of the HSIs, requires innovative approaches that incentivize institutional and community transformation and promote fundamental research (i) on engaged student learning, (ii) about what it takes to diversify and increase participation in STEM effectively, and (iii) that improves our understanding of how to build institutional capacity at HSIs. Projects supported by the HSI Program will also draw from these approaches to 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.