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Abstract Background, context, and purpose of the studyEnrolling over 60% of all Latinx undergraduate students, Hispanic-serving institutions (HSIs) are poised to play a critical role in diversifying and strengthening Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education and the STEM workforce. However, how HSIs serve STEM students is not well understood. Accordingly, guided by Garcia et al. (Review of Educational Research 89:5–745, 2019) multidimensional servingness framework, we conducted a systematic review of the research on STEM education within the HSI context. By attending to STEM education in conversations around how HSIs may serve Latinx students and their campus communities, our ultimate aim is to improve STEM education particularly at HSIs and advance STEM servingness more broadly. Results, main findingsThrough our systematic review of STEM education research at HSIs, we identified (under)studied components of servingness and gaps within this literature base. Specifically, among the 128 qualifying articles, nearly two-thirds focused on student outcomes but overlooked institutions’ organizational context, raising questions about the effect(iveness) of the studied interventions. Additionally, we identified three thematic gaps in this literature: ghosting the HSI context (i.e., relying on HSIs as research sites without considering the unique HSI context); ghosting Latinx culture (i.e., decentering Latinx students and the Latinx community’s sociocultural aspects and assets), and ghosting people and places (i.e., under-examining certain student populations like Latino men in STEM and places like Hispanic-serving community colleges). Ultimately, our study extends the field’s understanding of servingness by attending to STEM education within the context of HSI institutions. Conclusions, brief summary, and potential implicationsBy systematically reviewing studies on STEM education at HSIs, we identified (under)studied components of servingness and patterned gaps within this literature. In doing so, we highlight opportunities to advance STEM servingness at HSIs through future research, policy, and practice. Collectively, these avenues hold the promise of improving STEM education and diversifying the STEM workforce.
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A Review of Competency‐Based Learning: Tools, Assessments, and Recommendations
Abstract BackgroundOver the past decade, there has been a shift in science, technology, engineering and math education, especially in engineering, towards a competency‐based pedagogy. Competency‐based learning (CBL) is an outcome‐based, student‐centered form of instruction where students progress to more advanced work upon mastering the necessary prerequisite content and skills. Many articles have been published on the implementation of CBL in engineering higher education; however, the literature lacks a systematic review that summarizes prior work to inform both future research and practice. PurposeThe purpose of this review is to integrate previous literature as well as identify gaps in competency‐based engineering higher education research. It summarizes the different approaches for implementing CBL, the effects of the pedagogy on student outcomes, tools to enhance its effectiveness, and assessment strategies. In addition, suggestions and recommendations for future research are provided. MethodEngineering education articles were obtained from several EBSCO educational databases. The search was limited to articles published from 2005‐2015, and inclusion criteria consisted of peer‐reviewed journal articles that address the use of CBL in engineering higher education. Articles were then classified into several categories, summarized, and evaluated. ConclusionsTheoretical and applied perspectives are provided that address both the theoretical basis for the effectiveness of CBL and practical aspects of implementing successful CBL instruction in engineering education. There are gaps in the literature regarding how CBL programs should be structured and assessed. Future research directions include empirical quantitative evaluation of CBL's pedagogical effectiveness and the use of CBL for teaching professional skills.
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- Award ID(s):
- 1501952
- PAR ID:
- 10238533
- Publisher / Repository:
- Wiley Blackwell (John Wiley & Sons)
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Journal of Engineering Education
- Volume:
- 106
- Issue:
- 4
- ISSN:
- 1069-4730
- Format(s):
- Medium: X Size: p. 607-638
- Size(s):
- p. 607-638
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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