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Introductory Undergraduate Research Experiences:

Connecting Rising Sophomores to STEM

Ginger Holmes Rowell and Chris Stephens

Middle Tennessee State UniversityFirstSTEP Program

STEP Central WebinarSeptember 26, 2012

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Overview

• MTSU FirstSTEP Project: Brief Overview• FirstSTEP “Summer Immersion” – Motivation – Structure– Outcomes

• Evaluation Information– Formative & Summative– Faculty & Students

• Other Approaches for Early Undergraduate Research Experiences (interactive)

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FirstSTEP Brief Overview

Mathematics as a FirstSTEP to Success in STEM

– Middle Tennessee State University

• Regional, Comprehensive, PhD Granting Institution

• 2nd Largest University in TN with 26,500 students

• 3,500 New Freshman Each Year (½ are first-generation)

• 725 Freshman STEM Majors across 7 Departments

• 33% of Freshman STEM majors have MATH ACT between 19-23 inclusive

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Problem

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FirstSTEP Brief Overview

Mathematics as a FirstSTEP to Success in STEM– 5-year NSF STEM Talent Expansion Program (STEP) grant ($2 M)

– Participants are first-time, full-time freshman with a strong desire to study STEM and an ACT-Mathematics scores between 19 and 23, inclusively

– Yearly cohorts of up to 50 students

– Major program components include:

– Summer Mathematics Bridge

– Academic Year Seminar (Freshman & Sophomore Year)

– Summer Immersion - Research Experience

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FirstSTEP Scholars

FirstSTEP Cohorts 2 & 3 during the Summer Bridge

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FirstSTEP Brief Overview

FirstSTEP Project Team•Tom Cheatham (PI, dean, advisory boards, weekly input)

•Ginger Rowell (Co-PI, day-to-day organization, seminars)

•Don Nelson (Co-PI, department chair, curriculum)

•Chris Stephens (Co-PI, immersion, apps of math in bridge)

•Elaine Tenpenny (Co-PI, bridge)

•Brad Rudnik (Co-Coordinator, budget, payments, web)

•Teresa Wall (Co-Coordinator, daily activities, students)

•Jennifer Yantz (PhD student, assisting with evaluation)

•Brittany Smith (PhD student, assisting with evaluation)

•Kathryn Weisbaum (External Evaluator)

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FirstSTEP “Summer Immersion”

• FirstSTEP “Summer Immersion” – Motivation – Structure– Outcomes

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FirstSTEP “Summer Immersion”

Motivation •Schwartz, et al [*]

– One-month in-depth study in one high school science topic improves success in all college science courses

– Breadth in all high school science did not yield improved success in college science

•Success with a previous STEP grant (STEPMT) Summer Research Teams: STEM faculty mentor; Upper-division student; Lower-division student; High School teacher; High School student

•Undergraduate Research – Builds relationships with faculty – Exposes students to real STEM experiences– Builds self-confidence

*Schwartz, M., P. Sadler, G. Sonnert, and R. Tai (2009). Depth Versus Breadth: How Content Coverage In High School Science Courses Related to Later Success In College Science Coursework. Science Education, v.93, no.5, p.1-29.

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FirstSTEP “Summer Immersion”

Structure•End of freshman year, three-weeks, 35 hours per week•In-depth study in one STEM discipline •Team project with faculty mentor, upper-division assistant, rising junior FirstSTEP assistant, 3-5 FirstSTEP Scholars•Hands-on, research-like experience•Introduce students to tools and techniques of research•Provide student’s opportunity to face scientific and academic adversity in a safe atmosphere•Teach students that persistence and hard-work are critical to success in STEM (and life)

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FirstSTEP “Summer Immersion”

Structure Continued•STEM faculty are invited to propose 3-week team project•FirstSTEP students select their top 3 projects •FirstSTEP Project Team makes final decision on projects and teams (5 students/team) •Inform faculty & they select upper-division assistant•Invite 2nd year cohort as lower-division assistants•After spring semester ends: orientation & team building•Students work all day M-F with team for three weeks•Mid-term presentation (with food)•Final presentation and poster (with food)

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FirstSTEP “Summer Immersion”

Structure: Stipends

FirstSTEP Scholars (1st year cohort) $1,000 each

FirstSTEP Assistant(s) (2nd year cohort) $1,500 each

Upper-division Assistant $2,000 each

Faculty Mentor $3,000 each

Single Team Total (with 5 Scholars) $11,500

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FirstSTEP “Summer Immersion”2012 Summer Immersion Research Teams

Faculty Mentor Discipline Research Title

Dr. Daniel Erenso Physics 1 Response to Optical Trapping by Red Blood Cells from a Transfused Sickle Cell Patient

Dr. Scott Handy Chemistry 1 Green Solvents for Organic Synthesis

Dr. Jeffrey Leblond Biology Lipid Composition of the Historically Important Algal Genus, Acetabularia

Dr. Ahad Nasab Engineering Technology Wheel Hub Motor Development and Testing

Dr. Beng Guat Ooi Chemistry 2Characterization of Pharmaceutical Products

via Raman and Infrared Spectroscopy Techniques

Dr. William Robertson Physics 2 Sounds Good To Me—Experimental Research in Digital Audio Correction

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FirstSTEP “Summer Immersion”

Outcomes•Conference paper published & presented: Biomedical Optics•Students presented poster at state conference•Research project became basis of senior thesis for the upper-division physics assistant •Increase in knowledge, self-confidence, and maturity•Improved awareness of what a scientist does•Built strong community for students’ sophomore year•Experience presenting technical material to a group

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Overview

• FirstSTEP Brief Overview• FirstSTEP “Summer Immersion” – Motivation – Structure– Outcomes

• Evaluation Information– Formative & Summative– Faculty & Students

• Other Approaches for Early Undergraduate Research Experiences (interactive)

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Evaluation Information

Formative Evaluation

• Changes were made from Year 1 to Year 2 based on feedback from Faculty and Students• Examples

– Increased pay for faculty

– Gave students a choice on their teams (not all majors are represented)

• Tried to improve evaluation efforts for Summer Bridge– Student interviews

– Bloom’s Taxonomy assessment

– Revised instruments

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Evaluation Information

Atmosphere in Summer Immersion that encouraged or discouraged student participation

•Valued encouragement from other team members and leaders

•Mentors were encouraging – they felt comfortable asking questions

•It was discouraging when not all of the team members participated

•The positive energy of others was encouraging

•The interesting work was encouraging

•Over and over they mention the other team members as encouraging

and helpful

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Evaluation Information

Helpful Information (Based on Our Experiences)

• Carefully choose student assistants or leaders who will work well with students of all abilities.

• Keep the size of teams manageable – it is hard for one person to keep 4 or 5 students engaged and working independently all of the time.

• Be prepared for declining interest towards the end of the project – plan an enthusiasm builder for late in the project.

• Avoid assigning 5 students to a job that could be done by 2. When this happens, 2 are engaged and the other 3 lose interest. Consider having small groups who each do the same experiment or activity and then compare, or even compete.

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Evaluation Information

Characteristics of good mentor (based on our observation)

Personal interaction with students:•Shows student how to do something, but doesn’t do it for them•Emphasizes correct use of technical terms•Spends time getting to know each student•Delivers criticism in a helpful, constructive way•Encourages questions and participation by all•Is patient and is always willing to help•Finds opportunities to relate the project to students’ future coursework or careers•Looks for “teachable” moments, lets students learn from failure

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Evaluation Inforamtion

Characteristics of good mentor (based on our observation)

Project management:•Multi-tasks•Selects activities that engage students•Chooses tasks that appropriately challenge students•Sets and maintains appropriate rules about conduct, safety, and attendance•Establishes a professional environment – encourages students to dress and act like a researcher•Plans activities to fill idle time (while experiment runs, etc....)

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Overview

• FirstSTEP Brief Overview• FirstSTEP “Summer Immersion” – Motivation – Structure– Outcomes

• Evaluation Information– Formative & Summative– Faculty & Students

• Other Approaches for Early Undergraduate Research Experiences (interactive)

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Other Approaches for Early Undergraduate Research Experiences

Different Structures• As a part of a course• Assisting/shadowing upper-division students or graduate students• Starting out assisting a faculty member on their research

Different Times• Academic Year• Summer

Different Leaders• Faculty• Graduate Students• Upper-division Undergraduates

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Your Feedback

• Surveys • Conversation• Questions