NSF Award
2329570
Improving students' performance in STEM subjects is crucial for their future career readiness and the development of essential 21st-century skills. Policymakers have prioritized education initiatives to support U.S. students' achievement in STEM. However, evidence indicates ongoing challenges in increasing mathematics and science outcomes, particularly for students from minoritized groups, including students of color, low-income students, and students with disabilities. To address this issue, teachers need access to evidence-based interventions to tailor their instruction and meet these students' learning needs, thus increasing their access to the science and math curricula. Yet, there is still much to learn about the most effective math and science interventions for these students and the conditions that impact their effectiveness. High-quality, comprehensive reviews of studies on math and science interventions focused on these students are suitable for identifying the most promising instructional practices and the conditions under which they are effective. By conducting these reviews, we can identify effective strategies and techniques to improve math and science outcomes for these students, promoting fair and equitable access to the mathematics and science curricula, and ultimately contributing to more inclusive and effective educational practices. However, a lack of scholars, especially those from minoritized backgrounds, with advanced knowledge and skills in conducting high-quality reviews to identify evidence-based mathematics and science practices for these students remains a challenge. <br/><br/>The post-doctoral program aims to prepare the next generation of scholars with expertise in conducting high-quality systematic reviews and meta-analyses focused on math and science outcomes for K-12 students from minoritized groups. The program emphasizes situated learning research, cohort-building, and networking to prepare a cohort of post-doctoral fellows to acquire and apply advanced techniques for conducting high-quality systematic reviews and meta-analyses to identify evidence-based interventions for increasing these students' mathematics and science proficiency. They will also explore sources of heterogeneity in these interventions to understand the conditions under which they are effective. The fellows will receive training in performing effective literature searches and coding procedures, using multilevel modeling to address complex data structures, implementing multilevel and multivariate modeling, and using machine learning algorithms for article screening and coding in hierarchical databases. Additionally, scholars will develop dissemination materials that assist teachers in effectively translating research into classroom practices. The project has the potential to contribute significantly to STEM education by increasing the number of scholars from minoritized backgrounds who can conduct high-quality systematic reviews and meta-analyses focused on evidence-based practices for minoritized students. This, in turn, will lead to more equitable and effective instructional strategies, ultimately improving mathematics and science outcomes for historically underrepresented groups.<br/><br/>This project is supported by NSF’s STEM Education Postdoctoral Research Fellowship (STEM Ed PRF) Program with co-funding from the Discovery Research PreK-12 Program (DRK-12). The STEM Ed PRF Program aims to enhance the research knowledge, skills, and practices of recent doctorates in STEM, STEM education, education, and related disciplines to advance their preparation to engage in fundamental and applied research that advances knowledge within the field. The DRK-12 Program seeks to significantly enhance the learning and teaching of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) by preK-12 students and teachers, through research and development of innovative resources, models and tools. Projects in the DRK-12 program build on fundamental research in STEM education and prior research and development efforts that provide theoretical and empirical justification for proposed projects.<br/><br/>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.
