Broadening Participation Research: Fostering Retention in STEM Disciplines at Minority Serving Institutions

Tuskegee University, Tuskegee Institute AL

Investigators

Abstract

Researchers at Tuskegee University will leverage the results of prior research to develop a model of psychosocial and institutional structural factors that influence the retention of STEM students at HBCUs. The current project will expand the research by collecting additional data and including Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs). More specifically, they will examine the interaction of the psychosocial and structural factors identified previously and continue to examine those combinations that are most likely to produce success in retaining students in the STEM pipeline at these institutions. The study has the potential to positively impact undergraduate STEM education at all institutions. The researchers will use a three-phase mixed-methods approach involving phenomenological qualitative research, quantitative surveys, and quantitative analysis of secondary data to investigate four research questions: (1) What psychosocial factors appear to affect the retention of students in STEM disciplines at minority-serving institutions? In what ways are those effects manifested? (2) How do structural factors influence retention rates in STEM disciplines at minority-serving institutions? (3) What influence, if any, do psychosocial factors appear to have on the effectiveness of structural factors which are intended to support student retention in STEM disciplines? (4) What differences and similarities are there in the apparent influence of psychosocial and structural factors on STEM retention at institutions serving different minority populations? The new sample populations are expected to yield 16 focus groups with a total of 80-112 participants. Population samples will include current STEM students, administrators and staff, faculty, and graduates of STEM programs. The researchers propose to structural equation modeling for the quantitative data analysis and axial and selective coding for the qualitative analysis. Understanding the interplay of these influences and their effects on each other and on retention will allow the researchers to further refine the model and produce a clearer perspective about STEM programs at minority-serving institutions. This project is supported by the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Undergraduate Program (HBCU-UP) Broadening Participation Research in Education track. This program track supports ideas to create and study new models and innovations in STEM teaching and learning, investigate the underlying issues affecting the differential participation and success rates of students from underrepresented groups, and produce knowledge to inform STEM education practices and interventions.