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Increasing Retention of Stem Students

Increasing Retention of Stem Students. Ellene Tratras Contis, Chemistry, Director Kathy Stacey, Communications, M edia , & Theatre Arts, Co-PI Claudia Petrescu, Public Administration, Project Evaluator Eastern Michigan University Ypsilanti MI 48197

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Increasing Retention of Stem Students

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  1. Increasing Retention of Stem Students Ellene Tratras Contis, Chemistry, Director Kathy Stacey, Communications, Media, & Theatre Arts, Co-PI Claudia Petrescu, Public Administration, Project Evaluator Eastern Michigan University Ypsilanti MI 48197 Tenth International Research Conference on Service-Learning and Community Engagement Crowne Plaza at Historic Union Station, Indianapolis, IN October 2010

  2. The Creative Scientific Inquiry Experience (CSIE) Program: INTRODUCTION Is a program involved in retaining and increasing the number of STEM graduates. Is an innovative approach that includes: faculty professional development student connectedness to science and mathematics through academic service-learning curricular reform

  3. The Creative Scientific Inquiry Experience (CSIE): THE Concept Model

  4. CSIE: the logic model

  5. Is targeting students who are in their first two years of STEM curriculum • Since fall 2006, 313 students have participated in the CSIE Program at Eastern Michigan University— including 63 students in the 2009-2010 academic year. • Students Characteristics • Gender—53% Female, 47% Male, and less than 0.3% not reported • Race/Ethnicity— 67% white, 12% Black, 5% Asian, 4% Hispanic, less than 0.3% Native American, and the remaining 11% not reported. • SES Status— 27% First Generation, 46% Pell Eligible, and 3% Veteran Since 2006, the CSIE Program has retained or graduated 58% of CSIE students in STEM programs at EMU. • This represents approximately 10% of STEM degrees conferred in the past three years (July 2007-April 2010) CSIE: Fast Facts

  6. 2+1 Clusters • Interdepartmental • BIOL 110 + CHEM 121/3 + CSIE 177 • PHY 100 + MATH 108 + CSIE 177 • BIOL 301 + PHIL 223 + CSIE 277 • ESSC 212 + ASTR 205 + CSIE 277 • Intradepartmental • CHEM 281 + CHEM 371 + CSIE 377 • Stand-alone Seminars • CSIE 377:Science Olympiad Coaching Clinic • CSIE 177L: Scoop on Poop- Groundwater Studies (AS-L) Curricular innovations

  7. Complements the other components of the Program (faculty development, curriculum innovation) Examples: • Toxic Algae: Cyanobacteria in Ford Lake • Scoop on Poop/Groundwater Studies • Great Lakes GLERL Academic service - learning

  8. CSIE: EVALUATION

  9. EVALUATION METHODOLOGY Pre- and Post-Survey • Administered to both CSIE and Non-CSIE students (control group) in Fall and Winter semesters • The survey is build around the CSIE experience constructs Focus group with faculty and students (2008) • Number of respondents (2009-2010 evaluation): • CSIE participants (n = 30) who completed and consented to both the Pre- and Post-Surveys • Traditional participants (n = 81) who responded and consented to both the surveys. • To address Type II error: a proportional weight was applied throughout this analysis the sample sizes become equal for both the CSIE group and the Traditional group (n = 55.5).

  10. DATA ANALYSIS 1. Analysis of Change within Group: A series of paired sample t-tests were conducted to determine if the concepts had a statistically significant change within the CSIE and Traditional groups between the Pre- and Post-Surveys Hypothesis: There is a change in the mean scores on the constructs and questions from Pre to Post-Surveys for the CSIE and Traditional groups 2. Analysis by Group: A series of independent sample t-tests were conducted to determine if the reported value of the concepts had a statistically significant difference between the CSIE and Traditional groups on the Pre- and Post-Surveys Hypothesis: There is a difference in the mean scores on the constructs between the CSIE and the Traditional groups in the Pre- and Post-Surveys. 3. Analysis of Open Ended Questions

  11. FINDINGS on the constructs from the Pre- and Post-Surveys within groups(2009-201O evaluation report): EMU Experience: The CSIE students reported a higher opinion of their experiences at EMU. Traditional students reported a lower opinion of their experiences at EMU. Habits of Mind: The CSIE and Traditional students reported a higher opinion of their habits of approaching, organizing, analyzing, processing, and solving science and mathematics problems as a result of conditions created by CSIE experiences. Community Interaction: The CSIE students reported an improved opinion of their interaction with the community. Traditional students reported a lower opinion of their interaction with the community.

  12. EMU Experience: At the beginning and end of the semester, CSIE students had a statistically significant higher opinion of their EMU Experience than did Traditional students. • Habits of Mind: • At the beginning of the semester, CSIE students reported a higher mean on Habits of Mind than did Traditional students. • At the end of the semester, CSIE students reported a statistically significant higher opinion of their habits of approaching, organizing, analyzing, processing, and solving science and mathematics problems than did Traditional students. • Community Interaction: At the beginning and end of the semester, CSIE students had a statistically significant higher opinion of their interaction with the community than did Traditional students. FINDINGS on the constructs from the Pre- and Post-Surveys between groups(2009-201O evaluation report):

  13. CSIE students possess significantly higherpotential of persisting CSIE students possess significantly higher confidence in graduating CSIE students attribute success to facultyencouragement, advice, and interactions Overall csieoutcomes:Impacton Students

  14. Faculty shared in Focus Groups that CSIE: • Encourages curricular innovations • Builds learning communities among faculty, students and community partners • Creates strong student-faculty relationships • Provides: • More “appreciation” from students • Stronger student engagement in activities • More/better feedback from students in labs • Opportunity to see interdisciplinary connections with courses outside own academic department Overall csie Outcomes: Impact on Faculty

  15. Thank you To learn more about theCreative Scientific Inquiry Experience Programvisit www.emich.edu/csie Funded by the National Science Foundation STEP Type I Program DUE #0525514

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