Discipline: Physics
Subcategory: STEM Science and Mathematics Education
- Jackson State University
Co-Author(s): Jo Anne Fordham, Jackson State University, Jackson, MS; Nisan Kirtman, Rockman et al, San Francisco, CA
From January, 2014 through 2017 (Year 3), the ICFAIM program at Jackson State University’s Department of Physics, Atmospheric Sciences, and Geoscience sought to: a) create sustainable institutional change by establishing a supportive infrastructure for improved faculty pedagogy, mentoring, and research opportunities for undergraduate STEM students; (b) improve student learning and critical thinking skills, and (c) increase the enrollment, retention and graduation rate of participating students. The purpose of the current study was to provide outcome data from ICFAIM’s professional development efforts for Program Year 3 by summarizing evidence of the effect of program participation on faculty and students.
Methods: To assess the program’s effectiveness in meeting its principle goals, a quantitative evaluation design was implemented, along with some qualitative components that triangulated several data sources. This design permitted collection of formative evaluation information to highlight areas for potential improvement, as well as summative evidence of the short-term ICFAIM program outcomes.
Year 3 data were collected on participating faculty and students, using the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ; online and hard-copy), student science content tests (online and hard copy), the Critical Thinking Assessment Test (CAT; hard copy), Faculty post workshop surveys (collected by program staff, but mailed and entered by evaluators), Faculty end-of-year reflection survey (online), and professional development observation (field notes by evaluators and the use of observation protocols). The faculty sample originally consisted of 35 participants (23 faculty, 12 graduate students) from the department and other departments within the JSU College of Science, Engineering and Technology. The aggregate student sample included 551 students enrolled in the faculty participants STEM courses (315 Semester 1; 302 Semester 2). The student population included 62% female, 38% male, 91% African American, and 59% who listed biology as their undergraduate majors.
Funder Acknowledgement(s): NSF-HBCU UP-Grant number 1332444
Faculty Advisor: None Listed,