NSF Award
2318158
With support from the Improving Undergraduate STEM Education: Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI Program), this project aims to develop, implement, and evaluate a new approach designed to improve student outcomes in early engineering courses at California State Polytechnic University at Pomona (CPP) and Mt. San Antonio College (Mt. SAC). Approximately one third of students at the collaborating institutions do not pass two of the most important foundational engineering courses: Engineering Statics and Mechanics of Materials. Furthermore, students from groups that have historically been underrepresented in engineering complete these courses at a rate approximately 10% lower than their peers. Poor outcomes in these key courses contribute to increased dropout rates, delayed graduation, and lower success rates in subsequent courses. This project will improve students’ success in Engineering Statics, Mechanics of Materials, and subsequent courses through four evidence-based activities: 1) a Summer Bridge Program (SBP) to prepare students for the gatekeeper courses; 2) peer tutoring; 3) undergraduate research experiences for 24 students; and 4) participation in the American Society of Civil Engineers' Excellence in Civil Engineering (ExCEEd) Teaching Workshop for 17 faculty. These activities are designed to improve students’ academic performance in the two focal courses, reduce average time-to-degree, and promote consistent, high-quality instruction across course sections. This will drive student success and create a pathway for a more diverse and capable STEM workforce.<br/><br/>The effectiveness of this project will be measured through mixed-methods research guided by two theoretical frameworks: the How People Learn model and the Intersectionality framework. The results will drive positive student outcomes by pursuing four objectives. First is to inform the engineering education field about best practices for improving academic performance and reducing the achievement gaps in Engineering Statics and Mechanics of Materials. Second is to provide evidence for specific topics that need to be reviewed and emphasized to prepare students before they enroll in these courses. Third is to extend understanding of how a summer bridge program, peer tutoring, and undergraduate research experiences could impact students’ engagement, academic performance, and time-to-degree. Fourth, and finally, is to promote consistent course offerings and teaching practices. Major data sources include performance on assessments covering key topics in the summer bridge program and focal courses, validated survey instruments measuring spatial reasoning and student engagement, and data on faculty pedagogical practices taken before and after the ExCEED Teaching Workshop. This project is support by the HSI Program which aims to enhance undergraduate STEM education, broaden participation in STEM, and build capacity for institutional transformation at HSIs.<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.
