Collaborative Research: Equitable STEM Student Success and Persistence Through Leadership Development Contextualized in a Learning Assistant Program

Chicago State University, Chicago IL

Investigators

Abstract

This project aims to serve the national interest by improving student success and persistence in STEM through creating a leadership development program that draws on the principles of the community cultural wealth model of Tara Yosso. This three-year project will create a training and mentoring program for Learning Assistants (LAs) in STEM classes at a two-year college, combined with a broader Emerging Leaders training program that equips students to take on STEM leadership roles throughout the college. Leadership roles in STEM contexts enable students to develop a sense of identity and belonging that empowers them to overcome the challenges that many students face in pursuing STEM majors and careers. By encouraging a diverse set of student leaders in STEM, this project seeks to increase the likelihood that two-year college STEM students see themselves succeeding in STEM programs and find mentors who support their own sources of community cultural wealth. The existing LA programs at the collaborating institutions of Northeastern Illinois University (NEIU), a designated Hispanic Serving Institution, and Chicago State University (CSU), is a designated Predominantly Black Institution, provide crucial expertise for the development of a diverse leadership cohort. This project represents a new adaptation of the LA approach and could provide a model for implementation at other two-year colleges in the future. The project addresses three objectives: 1) improve student learning in foundational STEM courses, 2) address equity in foundational STEM courses, and 3) increase participation in STEM pre-major programs at a two-year college. Over a three-year duration, faculty professional development activities provide support for incorporation of LAs and active learning approaches in their courses. Assistance of faculty mentors from collaborating four-year institutions at NEIU and CSU further bolster implementation efforts. Additionally, the project seeks to expand the program to introduce LAs in a minimum of two sections of introductory STEM classes in all seven disciplines in the STEM division. The LAs, in addition to their duties in the classroom, engage in a course on pedagogy and participate in weekly planning meetings with their supervising faculty. LAs also participate in monthly mentorship meetings throughout the academic semesters with an experienced and diverse group of student leaders from NEIU and CSU. An expansion of an existing emerging leaders training program provides an additional opportunity for students to develop STEM leadership skills. Ultimately, the project aims to engage up to 60 LAs and up to 90 student leaders. The project aims to disseminate project outcomes at local, regional and national conferences, and publish in relevant journals. The NSF IUSE: Innovation in Two-Year College STEM Education (ITYC) Program seeks to accelerate the impact of and advance knowledge about emerging and evidence-based practices in undergraduate STEM education at two-year colleges. 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.