HSI Implementation and Evaluation Project: First year approaches to enhance science identity and STEM persistence

在改进的本科生STEM教育：西班牙裔服务机构(HSI计划)的支持下，这个Track 2项目旨在提高STEM领域历史上代表性不足的学生的坚持性和成功，特别是在STEM课程的第一年，在一个主要是本科院校的背景下，以文科和理科为基础的课程。这类机构正在研究中，该项目将作为其他主要本科机构的概念验证和原型。加州圣玛丽学院将实施一项广泛的方法，其中包括：(1)设计一个以科学为动机的、结合实际情况的微积分准备课程；(2)在化学和物理入门实验室中整合以研究为导向的模块；(3)在年中引入一个多学科的科学桥梁；以及(4)重新发展现有的建议队列，并为STEM一年级学生发展同行指导。调查人员还将(5)建立一个教育者学习社区，以促进有利于学习和包容的氛围，并支持公平和优秀的STEM教育。这项工作的预期结果是提高对STEM感兴趣的学生的保留率，减少历史上代表性不足的学生在保留率和成功率方面的差距，并对对STEM感兴趣的一年级学生的科学认同感产生积极的变化。随之而来的STEM教育研究有两个重点领域：与传统微积分准备课程相比，结合科学情境的数学课程的有效性；以及表征同伴导师-学员关系的性质及其方面如何影响STEM的科学认同感和学生留存。为了评估科学情境化数学课程的有效性，调查人员将比较参加新的科学情境化课程的学生和参与现有补救模式的学生在STEM课程中的保留率、成功率和课程成绩。他们还将收集定性数据，以解决相关问题，即科学情境下的数学课程在多大程度上支持科学认同感的发展。为了评估同伴导师和被辅导者的关系及其影响，调查人员将分析导师-被辅导者会议后的定性数据，并将有同伴导师的学生和没有同伴导师的学生的第一年保留率和成功率进行比较。HSI计划旨在加强本科生STEM教育和HSI的能力建设。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 aims to enhance the persistence and success of students from groups historically underrepresented in the STEM fields, particularly in their first year of STEM courses, within the context of a primarily undergraduate institution with a liberal arts and sciences based curriculum. This kind of institution is under-studied, and this project will serve both as a proof-of-concept and prototype for other primarily undergraduate institutions. Saint Mary's College of California will implement a broad approach that includes: (1) designing a science-motivated and contextualized calculus readiness course; (2) integrating research-oriented modules in introductory labs for chemistry and physics; (3) introducing a multidisciplinary science bridge midway through the year; and (4) redeveloping existing advising cohorts and developing peer mentoring for first year STEM students. The investigators will also (5) establish an educator learning community to foster a climate conducive to learning and inclusion, and to support equitable and excellent STEM education. The expected outcomes of this work are to increase the retention rate of STEM-interested students, reduce observed gaps in retention and success rates for students from historically underrepresented groups and effect positive changes in the science identity of first year STEM-interested students. The accompanying STEM education research has two areas of focus: the effectiveness of the science contextualized math course compared to a traditional calculus readiness course; and characterizing the nature of the peer mentor-mentee relationship and how its aspects affect science identity and student retention in STEM. To assess the effectiveness of the science contextualized math course, the investigators will compare retention rates, success rates, and course grades in STEM courses of students who participate in the new science contextualized course to those who participated in the existing model of remediation. They will also collect qualitative data to address the related question of how well the science contextualized math course supports the development of science identity. To assess the peer mentor-mentee relationship and its impacts, the investigators will analyze qualitative data from post mentor-mentee meeting reports, as well as compare first year retention and success rates of students with peer mentors compared to those without peer mentors. 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.