Title: Pandemic Pivots: The Successful Transition of an NSF Research Internship to an Online Format
The Transfer-to-Excellence Summer Research Program is an exciting opportunity for community college students to conduct hands-on research in the labs of faculty at the University of California, Berkeley. Funded by an NSF Science and Technology Center and a private foundation, the program seeks to inspire students to transfer and complete a Bachelor’s degree in science or engineering. Typically a nine-week residential program, the 2020 Transfer-to-Excellence program was greatly impacted by COVID-19 and a state-wide Shelter-in-Place order. This paper details the successful transition of the Transfer-to-Excellence program to an online format, including remote research projects, mentoring, bootcamp, professional development, and community building events. Analysis of quantitative evaluation data demonstrates that, despite the remote format, interns had a very positive internship experience and highly satisfying mentoring relationships with graduate students. Most notably, the internship significantly enhanced students’ confidence to succeed as a student in science and engineering, and self-efficacy in their research skills. As such, this paper and poster presentation will provide a model for similar NSF funded programs pursuing an online format. The administrative team expects such transitions to become increasingly common for various reasons, including the need to adapt to unexpected health and environmental barriers, reducing cost, and expanding access to nontraditional students unable to participate in residential programs. more »« less
Student participation in undergraduate research programs has been linked to improved content knowledge, skills, and confidence. However, few research opportunities exist for community college students. This study explores the positive effects of a summer research program on three diverse cohorts of such students. The Transfer-to-Excellence Research Experiences for Undergraduate program is a hands-on summer research internship for California community college students. The program seeks to inspire students to complete a Bachelor's degree in science or engineering and primarily serves identities underrepresented in those fields. Analysis of mixed methods evaluation data shows that after participating in the program, community college students were better able to find scholarly resources, design ethical scientific experiments, conduct independent research, and analyze data. Additionally, participation in the program enhanced students' science identity and confidence to pursue further education and careers in science and engineering fields.
Enriquez, A.; Langhoff, N.; Dunmire, E.; Rebold, T; Pong, W.
(, American Society for Engineering Education)
Broadening participation in engineering among underrepresented minority students remains a big challenge for institutions of higher education. Since a large majority of underrepresented students attend community colleges, engineering transfer programs at these community colleges can play an important role in addressing this challenge. However, for most community college engineering programs, developing strategies and programs to increase the number and diversity of students successfully pursuing careers in engineering is especially challenging due to limited expertise, shrinking resources, and continuing budget crises. This paper is a description of how a small engineering transfer program at a Hispanic-Serving community college in California developed effective partnerships with high schools, other institutions of higher education, and industry partners in order to create opportunities for underrepresented community college students to excel in engineering. Developed through these partnerships are programs for high school students, current community college students, and community college engineering faculty. Programs for high school students include a) the Summer Engineering Institute – a two-week residential summer camp for sophomore and junior high school students, and b) the STEM Institute – a three-week program for high school freshmen to explore STEM fields. Academic and support programs for college students include: a) Math Jam – a one-week intensive math placement test review and preparation program; b) a scholarship and mentoring program academically talented and financially needy STEM students; c) a two-week introduction to research program held during the winter break to prepare students for research internships; d) a ten-week summer research internship program; e) Physics Jam – an intensive program to prepare students for success in Physics; f) Embedded Peer Instruction Cohort – a modified Supplemental Instruction program for STEM courses; g) STEM Speaker Series – a weekly presentation by professionals talking about their career and educational paths. Programs for community college STEM faculty and transfer programs include: a) Summer Engineering Teaching Institute – a two-day teaching workshop for community college STEM faculty; b) Joint Engineering Program – a consortium of 28 community college engineering programs all over California to align curriculum, improve teaching effectiveness, improve the engineering transfer process, and strengthen community college engineering transfer programs; c) Creating Alternative Learning Strategies for Transfer Engineering Programs – a collaborative program that aims to increase access to engineering courses for community college students through online instruction and alternative classroom models; and d) California Lower-Division Engineering Articulation Workshop – to align the engineering curriculum. In addition to describing the development and implementation of these programs, the paper will also provide details on how they have contributed to increasing the interest, facilitating the entry, improving the retention and enhancing the success of underrepresented minority students in engineering, as well as contributing to the strengthening of the community college engineering education pipeline.
In an effort to extend access to the lower-division engineering curriculum for non-traditional students, three community colleges from Northern California collaborated to develop resources enabling four laboratory-based engineering classes (Intro, Graphics, Circuits, and Materials) to be performed in a remote, online setting, or with limited face-to-face interactions. Funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation Improving Undergraduate STEM Education program (NSF IUSE), this work builds on prior efforts to provide online access to the lecture-only engineering classes in the lower-division transfer pattern, while also seeking to improve the efficacy of community college engineering programs facing challenges with staffing, scheduling, and fluctuating enrollments. This paper presents results from a second implementation of a one-unit Engineering Circuits Laboratory course, offered alongside the circuit theory course, which is already available in an online format. The course materials cover the use of basic instrumentation (DMM, Oscilloscope), analysis and interpretation of experimental data, circuit simulation, use of MATLAB to solve circuit equations in the real and complex domain, and exposure to the Arduino microcontroller. Results from both implementations are used to generalize outcomes between online vs. face-to-face cohorts, and are contextualized with input from student surveys and interviews on the perception, use and overall satisfaction of the course and its resources.
The Alternative Pathways to Excellence (APEX) Program at the University of St. Thomas, funded by NSF as an S-STEM Track 2 project, aims to solidify transfer pathways, and assist Engineering students by providing financial, academic, and practical support. The successful integration of transfer students into engineering programs presents a unique set of challenges and opportunities for higher education institutions. The APEX program offers a spectrum of student support services, both structured and informal mentoring, curricular and co-curricular supports, and collaborative activities. The program is designed to forge accessible pathways into engineering careers for students with high academic potential, who are facing financial constraints by granting annual S-STEM scholarships to a select group of students. This paper describes a layered mentoring approach adopted by our team that encompasses both pre-application and post-application phases. We explore the pivotal roles played by peers, faculty members, and industry advisors in mentoring aspiring engineers through their educational journey. The paper describes the support structures and strategies implemented before students apply to engineering programs, shedding light on how early mentoring can influence students' preparedness and motivation to pursue engineering degrees. This paper also reports on the ongoing mentoring and support mechanisms vital for transfer students during their engineering studies. Peer mentoring, faculty mentoring, and industry advisor mentorship are all integral components of this stage. Furthermore, the paper discusses the training routines and strategies employed to prepare faculty, industry advisors, and peer mentors for their roles in supporting engineering students. This training ensures that mentors are equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to guide students effectively, foster their academic growth, and nurture their professional aspirations.
Recognizing current and future needs for a diverse skilled workforce in mechanical engineering and the rising cost of higher education that acts as a barrier for many talented students with interests in engineering, the NSF funded S-STEM project at a state university focuses resources and research on financial support coupled with curricular and co-curricular activities designed to facilitate student degree attainment, career development, and employability in STEM-related jobs. This program has provided enhanced educational opportunities to more than 90 economically disadvantaged and academically talented undergraduate students in the Mechanical Engineering Department in the past eight years. It is expected that approximately 45 academically talented and financially needy students, including students transferring from community colleges to four-year engineering programs will receive scholarship support in the next 5 years, with an average amount of $6,000 per year for up to four years to earn degrees in mechanical engineering at the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC). Through scholarships and supplemental support services, this program promotes full-time enrollment and will elevate the scholastic achievement of the S-STEM scholars, with a special emphasis on females and/or underrepresented minorities. It will provide a holistic and novel educational experience combining science, engineering, technology and medicine to improve student retention and future career prospects. The project builds on an established partnership between the state university and community colleges to improve and investigate the transfer experience of community college students to four-year programs, student retention at the university, and job placement and pathways to graduate school and employment. A mixed methods quantitative and qualitative research approach will examine the implementation and outcomes of proactive recruitment; selected high impact practices, such as orientation, one-to-one faculty mentoring, peer mentoring, and community building; participation by students in research-focused activities, such as research seminars and undergraduate experiences; and participation by students in career and professional development activities. In this paper, preliminary data will be presented discussing the attitudes and perceptions of the s-stem scholars and comparing students in scholarly programs and non-programmed situations. This research was supported by an NSF S-STEM grant (DUE-1742170).
McIntyre, N. E. Pandemic Pivots: The Successful Transition of an NSF Research Internship to an Online Format. Retrieved from https://par.nsf.gov/biblio/10310214. 2021 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access .
McIntyre, N. E. Pandemic Pivots: The Successful Transition of an NSF Research Internship to an Online Format. 2021 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access, (). Retrieved from https://par.nsf.gov/biblio/10310214.
McIntyre, N. E.
"Pandemic Pivots: The Successful Transition of an NSF Research Internship to an Online Format". 2021 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access (). Country unknown/Code not available. https://par.nsf.gov/biblio/10310214.
@article{osti_10310214,
place = {Country unknown/Code not available},
title = {Pandemic Pivots: The Successful Transition of an NSF Research Internship to an Online Format},
url = {https://par.nsf.gov/biblio/10310214},
abstractNote = {The Transfer-to-Excellence Summer Research Program is an exciting opportunity for community college students to conduct hands-on research in the labs of faculty at the University of California, Berkeley. Funded by an NSF Science and Technology Center and a private foundation, the program seeks to inspire students to transfer and complete a Bachelor’s degree in science or engineering. Typically a nine-week residential program, the 2020 Transfer-to-Excellence program was greatly impacted by COVID-19 and a state-wide Shelter-in-Place order. This paper details the successful transition of the Transfer-to-Excellence program to an online format, including remote research projects, mentoring, bootcamp, professional development, and community building events. Analysis of quantitative evaluation data demonstrates that, despite the remote format, interns had a very positive internship experience and highly satisfying mentoring relationships with graduate students. Most notably, the internship significantly enhanced students’ confidence to succeed as a student in science and engineering, and self-efficacy in their research skills. As such, this paper and poster presentation will provide a model for similar NSF funded programs pursuing an online format. The administrative team expects such transitions to become increasingly common for various reasons, including the need to adapt to unexpected health and environmental barriers, reducing cost, and expanding access to nontraditional students unable to participate in residential programs.},
journal = {2021 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access},
author = {McIntyre, N. E.},
}
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