Introductory STEM Courses: Sorting, Harvesting, or Nurturing Student Talent

描述（由申请人提供）：拟议的项目检查校园结构，教学策略和学生的经验，以促进学生的学习，保留在科学，并在入门STEM课程的技能发展。特别关注这些结构和经验如何影响科学学习和发展的代表性不足的少数民族学生考虑到他们在干领域的减员率增加。此外，该项目旨在确定超越课程成绩的学生成功的替代措施，从当前项目的早期经验证据表明，课程成绩并不显着相关的技能和必要的未来在科学上的成功处置。我们需要资金来扩大我们最初研究的样本，该研究的重点是区分表现（成绩），先前的学术准备和入门课程中科学工作的基本思维习惯。我们打算在15个不同的机构对75门科学和数学入门课程的6,000多名学生进行调查，以了解有效培养学生科学学习和技能的不同策略。在这些调查之后，我们将访问其中的八个校区，与学生和教师进行访谈和焦点小组，以研究校园是如何为本科生的科学学习组织起来的，以及更深入地了解学生在入门课程中的经历。先进的统计技术，如分层线性模型和结构方程模型，将有助于确定影响学生学习入门科学课程的心理，行为，教学和课堂环境因素（以及机构之间的差异）的重大贡献。该项目计划直接与旨在提高学生在入门课程中的表现的干预方案合作，并将通过网络传播调查结果。 公共卫生相关性：尽管在实践中有最好的意图和最近的创新，科学继续经历高流失率，特别是在学生的大学第一年和第二年，特别是在代表性不足的少数民族学生中。这个关键时刻影响了进入STEM专业和职业的个人的扩张和多样性。本研究旨在解决和扩大独特的校园战略，教学实践和学生的经验，导致成功发展的技能和必要的处置继续通过大学科学管道。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The proposed project examines campus structures, pedagogical strategies, and student experiences that facilitate student learning, retention in science, and skill development in introductory STEM courses. Specific attention is given to how these structures and experiences affect the scientific learning and development of underrepresented racial minority students given their increased attrition rates in STEM fields. Additionally, this project seeks to identify alternative measures of student success that go beyond course grades, as early empirical evidence from a current project has shown that course grades are not significantly related to the skills and dispositions necessary for future success in science. Funds are requested to expand the sample from our original study that focused on distinguishing between performance (grades), prior academic preparation, and the essential habits of mind for scientific work in introductory courses. We intend to survey more than 6,000 students across 75 introductory science and math courses at 15 different institutions to learn about the different strategies being utilized that effectively foster students' scientific learning and skills. Following these surveys, we will visit eight of these campuses to conduct interviews and focus groups with students and faculty to examine how campuses are organized for undergraduate learning in science as well as a more in- depth view of student experiences in introductory courses. Advanced statistical techniques, such as hierarchical linear modeling and structural equation modeling, will help determine the significant contributions of psychological, behavioral, pedagogical, and classroom environmental factors (as well as between institution differences) that affect student learning in introductory science courses. The project plans to work directly with intervention programs targeted at improving student performance in introductory coursework and will disseminate findings via the web. Public Health Relevance: Despite best intentions in practice and recent innovations, the sciences continue to experience high attrition rates, particularly in students' first and second years of college and specifically among underrepresented racial minority students. This critical juncture influences both the expansion and diversity of individuals entering STEM majors and careers. This study seeks to address and expand the unique campus strategies, pedagogical practices, and student experiences that lead to successful development of the skills and dispositions necessary for continuation through the college science pipeline.