HSI Pilot Project: Learning Assistant Transfer Pathway: Fostering STEM Connections

在不断改进的本科生STEM教育：拉美裔服务机构(HSI计划)的支持下，这个Track 1项目旨在利用丹佛大都会州立大学(MSU Denver)成熟和成功的学习助理计划，促进两年制和四年制院校(分别是丹佛社区学院(CCD)和MSU丹佛大学)之间的转学途径，改善整体STEM课堂教学，并增加STEM学生的保留率和成就率。由此对所有参与者，特别是代表人数不足的学生的归属感、转化率、参与度和学习成果进行研究，将有助于形成各机构可以向前推进的方式，以支持各机构之间的学习者社区。使用学习助理(LAS)作为近乎同行的导师和榜样，有助于学生感觉自己融入了班级、内容、纪律和机构。在全国范围内，STEM(Wang，2020)的2-4年迁移意愿差距为77.9%(愿望)和10.2%(成就)，而且STEM领域中代表性不足的学生在支持性队列模型中表现出更大的成功(Maton，2000；Morrell，2003；NCTM，2014；Semken，2008；Swacek，2012)，这一独特的跨机构社区建设项目旨在扩大对迁移体验的包容、联系和归属感。共享的洛杉矶体验通过洛杉矶同龄人、教室、教职员工和STEM系的学生之间和内部的协作和社区，自然创造了更强大的转移途径。与近邻本科生作为榜样和导师的持续接触有助于增加STEM教与学的归属感和包容性，并为成功创造一条途径。该计划的总体目标是通过以下方式提高STEM项目的参与度、保留率和转学能力：1)利用助学计划培养从2年制院校到4年制院校的成功过渡途径；2)提高学生对STEM的归属感。共享LA转移路径将通过调查和访谈来检验特定的跨院校共享LAS的效果，这些LAS不仅将提供重要的内容和社会支持，还将为有兴趣转移的学生提供熟悉转移过程的近同行盟友和导师。因此，我们预计这两所院校的留校率、参与度、学生成就感和归属感都会增加，从两年制到四年制院校成功转学的人数也会增加。项目成果和经验教训将在各机构和主要利益攸关方之间分享。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 1 project aims to use the established and successful Learning Assistant program at Metropolitan State University of Denver (MSU Denver) to promote transfer pathways between a two and four-year institution (Community College of Denver (CCD) and MSU Denver respectively), improve overall STEM classroom instruction, and increase retention and success of STEM students. Resulting research on sense of belonging, transfer rates, participation, and learning outcomes for all participants but particularly those of underrepresented students will help to shape the ways institutions can move forward to support communities of learners between institutions. The use of Learning Assistants (LAs) as near-peer mentors and role models helps students to feel included in the class, content, discipline, and the institution. With the 2- to 4-year transfer aspiration to attainment gap reported nationally at 77.9% (aspiration) versus 10.2% (attainment) in STEM (Wang, 2020) and that students underrepresented in STEM fields demonstrate much greater success in supportive cohort models (Maton, 2000; Morrell, 2003; NCTM, 2014; Semken, 2008; Slovacek, 2012), this unique, cross-institutional community-building project is designed to extend the feelings of inclusion, connection, and belonging to the transfer experience. The shared LA experience naturally creates a stronger transfer pathway through collaboration and community between and within the LA cohorts, students in the classrooms, faculty, and STEM departments. The sustained contact with near-peer undergraduates as role models and mentors serves to increase the sense of belonging and inclusion in STEM teaching and learning and create a pathway for success.The overall goal of the program is to improve participation, retention, and transfer in STEM programs by: 1) Fostering a successful Transfer Pathway from the 2-year institution to the 4-year institution using the Learning Assistant Program and 2) Improving student sense of STEM belonging. The shared LA Transfer Pathway will examine through surveys and interviews the effects of specific cross-institutional shared LAs who will not only provide important content and social support but give transfer interested students near-peer allies and mentors familiar with the transfer process. As a result, we expect increased, retention, participation, student success, and sense of belonging at both institutions as well as in increased number of successful transfers from the 2- to 4-year institutions. Project results and lessons learned will be shared throughout the institutions and to key stakeholders. 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.