HSI Pilot Project: STEM Undergraduate, Retention, Graduation, and Engagement (SURGE)

在“改善本科STEM教育：西班牙裔服务机构（HSI计划）”的支持下，这个第一轨道试点项目旨在改变费尔利·迪金森大学（FDU）的STEM教学方式，并改变STEM文化。尽管有大量关于西班牙裔学生的STEM文献，但他们的坚持度却低得惊人。SURGE团队准备的内部自我评估确定了STEM的四个不足之处，以及四个制度优势。基于这一评估，该小组提出了利用体制优势的三项“激增”战略。该小组认识到需要进行制度改革以改善结果。因此，SURGE将实施转型和重组变革，包括1)有利于STEM学习的专用区域，2)学术支持计划，3)已修订的门户课程，包括循证教学法和实践，4)教师，员工和同行的顾问网络，5)有偿研究机会，6)“STEM意识”研讨会，7)同行导师，8)虚拟学习计划。通过SURGE， FDU的学生将体验到一个更有利于学习的STEM环境。这些数据将使拥有类似学生人口统计、教师教学负荷和资源的城市院校受益。SURGE将1)启动一个STEM学术中心，2)为教师提供循证、教学和文化意识研讨会，以及3)为STEM专业实施研究计划。这些目标将解决三个研究问题：1)SURGE的每个方面如何提高西班牙裔STEM学生的学习、保留、毕业、上研究生院的愿望和对STEM职业的兴趣？2)哪些活动最符合日益增长的STEM多样性，以及在FDU建立和维持机构能力所需的基本要素？3)非认知和文化障碍研讨会是否改善了西班牙裔STEM学生与导师的关系和“STEM意识”？学生访谈、经验、调查和焦点小组将用于构建一个不断发展的数据驱动模型，以确定SURGE的局限性和低效率。该团队将确保对所有数据进行彻底分析，并用于提供高影响力活动所需的新知识：1)建立支持STEM专业的机构能力；2)生成支持项目成功和可复制性的证据；3)通过将成功的项目组成部分制度化来转变FDU。SURGE将通过STEM研讨会发展影响500名学生的能力，为46个STEM专业提供奖学金，并为30名STEM教师提供基于证据和文化障碍的研讨会。SURGE将通过STEM参与提高STEM专业学生的持久性，这些受到SURGE积极影响的学生将向同龄人传播“STEM意识”。SURGE的这种“多米诺骨牌效应”设计是经过深思熟虑的，旨在对FDU的STEM文化产生持久的影响。这些数据将使拥有类似学生人口统计、教师教学负荷和资源的城市院校受益。HSI计划旨在加强HSI的本科STEM教育和能力建设。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。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值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 Pilot Project aims to transform how STEM is delivered at Fairleigh Dickinson University (FDU) and change the STEM culture. Despite the abundance of STEM literature on Hispanic students, their persistence is alarmingly low. An internal self-assessment prepared by the SURGE team identified four STEM deficiencies, along with four institutional strengths. Based on this assessment, the team proposes three SURGE strategies that leverage institutional strengths. The team recognizes the need for institutional change to improve outcomes. As a result, SURGE will implement transformational and reorganizational changes that include 1) a dedicated area conducive to STEM learning, 2) academic support programs, 3) gateway courses that have been revised to include evidence-based pedagogies and practices, 4) an advisor network of faculty, staff, and peers, 5) paid research opportunities, 6) workshops on “STEM awareness”, 7) peer tutors, and 8) virtual learning programs. Through SURGE, students at FDU will experience a STEM environment more conducive to learning. The data will benefit urban institutions with similar student demographics, faculty teaching loads, and resources. SURGE will 1) launch a STEM Academic Center, 2) provide faculty with evidence-based, pedagogical, and cultural awareness workshops, and 3) implement research initiatives for STEM majors. These objectives will address three research questions: 1) How does each facet of SURGE improve Hispanic STEM students’ learning, retention, graduation, desire to attend graduate school, and interest in a STEM career? 2) Which activities are best aligned with increasing diversity in STEM and foundational elements required to build and sustain institutional capacity at FDU? And 3) Do non-cognitive and cultural barrier workshops improve Hispanic STEM students’ relationship with their faculty advisors and “STEM awareness”? Student interviews, experiences, surveys, and focus groups will be used to construct an evolving data-driven model which identifies limitations, and inefficiencies in SURGE. The team will ensure all data is thoroughly analyzed and used to contribute new knowledge on which high-impact activities 1) build institutional capacity to support STEM majors, 2) generate evidence to support program success and replicability, and 3) transform FDU through institutionalization of successful program components. SURGE will develop the capacity to impact 500 students through STEM workshops, award stipends to 46 STEM majors, and provide 30 STEM faculty with evidence-based and cultural barrier workshops. SURGE will improve the persistence of STEM majors through STEM engagement, and these students who are positively impacted by SURGE will disseminate “STEM awareness” to their peers. This “domino effect” design of SURGE is deliberate and is intended to have a lasting impact on the STEM culture at FDU. This data will benefit urban institutions with similar student demographics, faculty teaching loads, and resources. 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.