Research is an important aspect of this NSF-funded initiative. This project will investigate the conjecture that: experiences with modular bridging curriculum in data and computation, faculty development, and STEM support will increase student retention in STEM- X disciplines, success in and application of data and computation coursework to their degree, and sense of belonging and identity in STEM. Of particular interest is how implementing project activities within the systems and institutional context of Texas State as Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) supports these outcomes for students underrepresented in STEM.
Research
Research Overview
Research associated with this project will contribute to the field by highlighting programmatic strategies for increasing STEM-X student success by creating new opportunities for meaningful academic integration across coursework, productive faculty and peer engagement, and student development of a positive STEM identity. The research design is theoretically grounded in expectancy-value theory (EVT). EVT asserts that student persistence and success can be explained by student beliefs about their competency and perception of the relevance and value of an activity, both of which are influenced by the curriculum design and social contexts of learning. The research team of Drs Forsythe, Lopez, and Ashford-Hanserd will use a mixed methods approach to describe student and faculty experiences and potential impacts of project activities.
In addition, project objectives and goals associated with the STEM-CLEAR project will be regularly assessed by an external evaluation team, as required by the NSF grant.
Our Team
Our team is comprised of faculty from across all colleges of the university who are committed to developing STEM-based curriculum contextualized for their disciplines.
Connect With Us
We’re looking to build partnerships both within Texas State University and with departments and organizations beyond our campus. If you’re interested in collaborating or participating in STEM-CLEAR activities, we’d love to hear from you.