Undergraduate Student Success Research Articles

Science Pathways in Education

Barriers and Opportunities for 2-Year and 4-Year STEM Degrees: Systemic Change to Support Students' Diverse Pathways . By National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2016. (ISBN: 978-0-309-37357-9). Paperback. $54.00. Barriers and Opportunities for 2-Year and 4-Year STEM Degrees is generated from many white papers compiled on a multitude of factors affecting undergraduate STEM student success. The data extracted from these white papers illuminates the numerous influences that can affect STEM degree attainment. The book begins with two overarching questions: (1) Why do so many students who start out pursuing STEM lose interested before degree completion, and (2) How can we improve the quality of the STEM educational experience? The authors go a step further and identify several common barriers to STEM education success: poor advising; not prepared for rigor; stereotypes from faculty or peers; unwelcome environments; and uninspired teaching. Early on in the book, we are re-acquainted with some hopeful facts and figures that are likely familiar. For instance, those holding STEM degrees have higher salaries and lower levels of unemployment than other fields. …

Undergraduate Research and Student Success Outcomes

Undergraduate Research and Student Success Outcomes

Undergraduate Research and Student Success: A Model for Cultural Competency as a Mediator

Undergraduate Research and Student Success: A Model for Cultural Competency as a Mediator

20 “an Orientation Course with Effort-Based Grading Predicts Undergraduate Student Success in Animal Science”.

20 “an Orientation Course with Effort-Based Grading Predicts Undergraduate Student Success in Animal Science”.

A Mixed-Method Study of Undergraduate and First Year Librarian Positions in Academic Libraries in the United States

The aim of this study is to better understand the prevalence, scope, and unique challenges of undergraduate and first year librarians over the last decade, through the use of quantitative and qualitative data from job listings, online surveys, and phone interviews. The findings indicate that there is very little consensus about what the undergraduate librarian does, how the work is structured on a daily basis, and how its goals are negotiated and assessed. Further, undergraduate librarians face a number of issues, including navigating vaguely defined responsibilities, establishing their professional credibility, and communicating their role within the library and to the university. Survey participants reported experiencing tension between the traditional (reference, instruction, collection development) and undergraduate-specific aspects of their duties, indicating that it is difficult for them to prioritize engagement and outreach. While the literature on blended librarianship anticipates some of these issues, undergraduate librarians are unique because they provide an intersection between broader higher education priorities and the academic library. The author stipulates that the lack of definition, strain, and the perception of undergraduate librarianship as an entry-level position is incongruent with the importance colleges and universities place on undergraduate student success.

The impact of campus climate on queer-spectrum student academic success

ABSTRACTThis study examines how campus climate directly affects academic success for queer-spectrum students. The linear regression analysis model with all independent variables explained 23% of the variance in academic success for queer-spectrum undergraduate students (p < 0.001). Three major constructs related to campus climate significantly affected academic success for queer-spectrum undergraduate students, including students' comfort with campus climate (ß = 0.38, p < 0.001), institutional action perceptions (ß = 0.11, p < 0.001), and perceptions of campus climate (ß = 0.08, p < 0.01). In other words, students who had higher comfort with campus climate, greater ratings of institutional action perceptions for campus climate, and warmer perceptions of campus climate rated their academic success as higher.

Technology as a tool in teaching quantitative biology at the secondary and undergraduate levels: a review.

Since the publication of the National Research Councils Report BIO2010, e orts have increased to better integrate mathematics and biology in undergraduate education. Unfortunately, equivalent e orts to introduce these quantitative topics at the secondary level have been seldom. This could cause differential success of undergraduate students who come from diverse secondary science backgrounds. Undergraduate courses regularly use technology to integrate these two disciplines, and we believe that technology can similarly be used at the secondary level to prevent quantitative achievement mismatch in undergraduate biology programs. In this paper, we review the current uses of technology to teach quantitative biology at the secondary and undergraduate levels, propose needs for further implementation, and address potential barriers to integrating mathematics and biology using technology.

The effect of exam frequency on academic success of undergraduate music students and comparison of students performance anxiety levels

The general measurement and assessment approach among universities in Cyprus is to have one mid-term exam and one final exam within a semester. In terms of the validity and the reliability of the measurement and assessment processes, it is essential to understand the ways in which students got influenced by the frequency of exams in psychological terms, and whether this has any effects on their overall success. In 2015–2016 Fall Terms, Near East University, Music Education Department decided to have two mid-term exams for each semester with the unanimous decision of the council of the department. The decision was bounding for music courses within the department. The decision was taken with the assumption that there is a positive relationship between the frequency of the exams and better studying habits among students who are viewed as highly exam and exam score oriented individuals. The new approach of having two mid-term exams was only introduced for music courses, where pedagogy courses and courses related with general cultural studies were exempted. It is observed that the new exam approach increased the exam anxiety among students at noticeable degrees. Due to undesirable outcomes of the new approach on student’s behaviours, the application of two mid-term exams per semester was cancelled only after one semester. It can be argued that such decisions which are highly critical for the entire learning and educational processes need to be based on solid pillars and evaluated in the light of scientific data. The main purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of the aforementioned approach which is based on two mid-term exam per semester on students’ academic successes. With this study, it is also intended to reflect on the attitude of students concerning the two mid-term exam per semester approach. In this context, the research group of this study was composed 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Grade Students of 2015–2016. There are 59 students in total. The exam scores received by these 59 students during the fall semester of 2015–2016 from two mid-term exams and one final exam will be compared with the exam scores they received during the spring semester of the same year where a different approach was applied as one mid-term and one final exam for the post-requisite (supplementary) courses of the previous term. The courses which were analysed can be listed as: (1) primary instrument, (2) piano, (3) voice training, (4) solfege, (5) choir and (6) orchestrate courses. These courses were selected because the scores received from these courses in different semesters can be consistently compared on the grounds that they are related to each other via being pre-requisite (preparatory)/post-requisite (supplementary) courses. Quantitative research methods were employed where survey research will be employed as the main model and causal survey research as the sub-models. For data collection, Near East University automatic information system was used to get access to the students’ exam scores in fall and spring terms of 2015–2016. An attitude scale was prepared for this study where the reliability and the validity will be controlled and pre-tests were employed for this new scale. The relationship between exam scores received by same students in two different semesters from courses related to each other were determined by using Pearson Correlation Coefficient. Besides descriptive data analysis techniques, t test and one-way analysis of variance were used at the same time.

Project Career: Perceived benefits of iPad apps among college students with Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI).

Project Career is an interprofessional five-year development project designed to improve academic and employment success of undergraduate students with a traumatic brain injury (TBI) at two- and four-year colleges and universities. Students receive technology in the form of iPad applications ("apps") to support them in and out of the classroom. To assess participants' perspectives on technology at baseline and perceived benefit of apps after 6 and 12 months of use. This article address a component of a larger study. Participants included 50 college-aged students with traumatic brain injuries. Statistical analysis included data from two Matching Person and Technology (MPT) assessment forms, including the Survey of Technology Use at baseline and the Assistive Technology Use Follow-Up Survey: Apps Currently Using, administered at 6- and 12-months re-evaluation. Analyses included frequencies and descriptives. Average scores at baseline indicated positive perspectives on technology. At 6 months, quality of life (67%) and academics (76%) improved moderately or more from the use of iPad apps. At 12 months, quality of life (65%) and academics (82%) improved moderately or more from the use of iPad apps. Students with a TBI have positive perspectives on technology use. The results on perceived benefit of apps indicated that students with a TBI (including civilians and veterans) report that the apps help them perform in daily life and academic settings.

Exploring the Correlation Between Nontraditional Variables and Student Success: A Longitudinal Study.

The purpose of this project was to determine whether a correlation exists between the traditional admission criteria of grade point averages with the potential admission criteria of emotional intelligence (EI) scores or critical thinking (CT) scores to predict upper division student outcomes. A quantitative, longitudinal design was selected to examine the identified variables to predict undergraduate student success. The recruiting sample included a convenience sample drawn from 112 junior-level undergraduate nursing students beginning their first of a five-semester nursing program. EI and HESI® CT scores did not significantly correlate with main analysis variables. Although EI and CT scores were not significant in this study, it remains vital to incorporate EI and CT activities throughout the curriculum to develop students' ability to think like a nurse and, therefore, be successful in nursing practice. [J Nurs Educ. 2017;56(6):351-355.].

Testing the Efficacy of a Scholarship Program for Single Parent, Post-Freshmen, Full Time Undergraduates

This study examines the efficacy of a scholarship program designed to assist single parent, post-freshmen, full time undergraduate students and predictors of success among a sample of said students, where success is defined as progress toward completion, academic achievement, and degree completion. Results of fixed effects regression and hierarchical linear modeling indicated that single parents who participated in the scholarship program had higher levels of academic achievement, degree completion rates, and greater progress toward completion than non-participants. Consistent significant predictors of success included participation in a scholarship program, full-time status, and whether someone already held a Bachelor’s degree. The findings suggest that the structure of a single parent program that includes requirements for GPA, full-time status, and credit accumulation, as well as personal, professional, and financial resources for participants may be an efficacious model for other colleges to implement in order assist in the success of single parent undergraduate students.

Making the Case for Real Diversity: Redefining Underrepresented Minority Students in Public Universities

Immigration to the United States has been a major catalyst for population growth and is the significant factor in the changing racial/ethnic composition of our population. The specific changes in the racial/ethnic mix in United States in recent times are due in large part to a surge in immigration from diverse sending countries. However, much of the terminology that continues to be used in the context of higher education to describe diversity in the student populations are anachronistic and serves actually to occlude true diversity. We argue that variables such as country of birth of the student, the country of origin of the parent, and parental educational achievement, all have significant impact on the academic progress and success of undergraduate underrepresented minority students. These are variables that should be used to disaggregate the traditional racial and ethnic categories, to really serve the needs of the increasingly diverse student body. These are not data typically collected by institution...

Development of an interdisciplinary undergraduate research training program to improve retention and future success of women in STEM

In response to the national need to produce skilled and globally aware STEM students, Mount Saint Mary's University, Los Angeles developed an interdisciplinary undergraduate research program with an international fieldwork experience in the summer. The goals of the program are: (1) to train undergraduates in interdisciplinary research methodologies (cancer laboratory techniques, cross cultural survey research, and policy analysis); (2) to collect real fieldwork data in Peru and the U.S.; (3) to analyze and present the results in professional conferences and publications; and (4) to develop leadership skills and teamwork necessary for student success and retention in STEM fields.Students enrolled in the program spend two semesters doing course work. In the first semester they learn about the molecular, environmental and nutritional causes of cancer from MSMU's STEM faculty and about the disparities in policy and healthcare access in the U.S. and Peru from political science faculty members. In the second semester, the students develop research skills in both STEM disciplines and the social sciences: laboratory research skills in biology and chemistry, and survey methodology in political science. The students develop an evidence gathering plan, design a survey, and seek an IRB approval in preparation for their global research experience over the summer.During the summer, the students first interview women in urban and rural areas of California and Peru about factors contributing to their health, such as access to healthcare and nutritional habits. For the remainder of the summer, they analyze their data and study target natural products in the chemistry and biology laboratories.During the culminating, third semester of the program, the students continue doing research, as they turn their focus to the interpretation of data, presentation of their results at conferences, and future directions for the project. Perhaps most importantly, participants in this program develop leadership skills and examine barriers to success for women in STEM. We expect this combination of regular course work with a summer research component, international field study, and leadership training to be an effective way to increase success and retention rates of undergraduate students in the STEM fields at MSMU.This program is a model for future research topics thus creating a sustainable and meaningful undergraduate research training.

Women in Science through an Archival Lens

Recent science education research indicates that classroom discussions about the underrepresentation of women in science help to promote female undergraduate student academic success and retention, especially in physics and chemistry. The "History of Women in Science" workshop described in this article provides a promising model for engaging students in these kinds of discussions. We have found that using a historical approach to teach students about the achievements and challenges faced by women in science is a powerful and productive way to engage with these issues. In this activity, students become detectives, reconstructing the history of women in science at our institution by tracing science course enrollments in the early to mid-twentieth century and investigating how the science curriculum itself has changed over time as indicated by the subjects faculty were hired to teach and course descriptions. Students also learn about the creation and eventual amalgamation of science clubs for men and women as described in the student newspaper. These examples from our archives offer a compelling and instructive set of documents with which to discuss women's experiences in and contributions to science. Moreover, this type of "discovery" assignment appeals broadly to all students and may be easily tailored to other institutional settings. By examining accounts of women in science from the archives, students develop a deeper understanding of how gender stereotypes can change over time and affect who studies science.

Predicting the academic success of architecture students by pre-enrolment requirement: using machine-learning techniques

In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of applicants seeking admission into architecture programmes. As expected, prior academic performance (also referred to as pre-enrolment requirement) is a major factor considered during the process of selecting applicants. In the present study, machine learning models were used to predict academic success of architecture students based on information provided in prior academic performance. Two modeling techniques, namely K-nearest neighbour (k-NN) and linear discriminant analysis were applied in the study. It was found that K-nearest neighbour (k-NN) outperforms the linear discriminant analysis model in terms of accuracy. In addition, grades obtained in mathematics (at ordinary level examinations) had a significant impact on the academic success of undergraduate architecture students. This paper makes a modest contribution to the ongoing discussion on the relationship between prior academic performance and academic success of undergraduate students by evaluating this proposition. One of the issues that emerges from these findings is that prior academic performance can be used as a predictor of academic success in undergraduate architecture programmes. Overall, the developed k-NN model can serve as a valuable tool during the process of selecting new intakes into undergraduate architecture programmes in Nigeria.

The Importance of the Premedical Experience in Diversifying the Health Care Workforce.

In light of national calls for increased diversity in medicine, it is critical for academic medicine to remain actively engaged in the conversation about the value of diversity in higher education, specifically for students from underrepresented backgrounds. Too often, the undergraduate premedical experience is excluded from conversations about diversity in medicine. The undergraduate premedical experience, however, is a critical junction for many students from backgrounds underrepresented in medicine, especially for those who enter college underprepared for the academic rigor of the premedical experience.In this Commentary, the authors describe the data that currently exist about the premedical experience for underrepresented students. They posit that academic medicine needs to be involved in promoting success for undergraduate students from underrepresented backgrounds, especially given the known societal and educational benefits of a diverse physician workforce. The authors reference the University of Michigan Health Sciences Scholars Program (HSSP) as an example of a partnership between the medical school and the undergraduate campus. HSSP uses higher education best practices known to promote success for underprepared college students. Innovative collaborations between academic medicine and higher education such as HSSP have the potential to increase the diversity of students who are able to matriculate into the health professions. Finally, the authors review issues related to the programming needed to support success for these students.

A Critical Race Case Analysis of Black Undergraduate Student Success at an Urban University

Presented in this article is a case study of Black students’ enrollment, persistence, and graduation at Cityville University, an urban commuter institution. We combine quantitative data from the University’s Office of Institutional Research and the U.S. Department of Education with qualitative insights gathered in interviews with students, faculty, and administrators. We then use tenets, theses, and propositions from Critical Race Theory to analyze structural problems that undermine persistence and degree completion, sense of belonging, and academic achievement for Cityville’s Black undergraduates.

Increasing URM Undergraduate Student Success through Assessment-Driven Interventions: A Multiyear Study Using Freshman-Level General Biology as a Model System.

Xavier University of Louisiana leads the nation in awarding BS degrees in the biological sciences to African-American students. In this multiyear study with ∼5500 participants, data-driven interventions were adopted to improve student academic performance in a freshman-level general biology course. The three hour-long exams were common and administered concurrently to all students. New exam questions were developed using Bloom's taxonomy, and exam results were analyzed statistically with validated assessment tools. All but the comprehensive final exam were returned to students for self-evaluation and remediation. Among other approaches, course rigor was monitored by using an identical set of 60 questions on the final exam across 10 semesters. Analysis of the identical sets of 60 final exam questions revealed that overall averages increased from 72.9% (2010) to 83.5% (2015). Regression analysis demonstrated a statistically significant correlation between high-risk students and their averages on the 60 questions. Additional analysis demonstrated statistically significant improvements for at least one letter grade from midterm to final and a 20% increase in the course pass rates over time, also for the high-risk population. These results support the hypothesis that our data-driven interventions and assessment techniques are successful in improving student retention, particularly for our academically at-risk students.

Effects of the Traditional and Flipped Classrooms on Undergraduate Student Opinions and Success

AbstractThe flipped classroom is becoming increasingly popular at universities because of its perceived benefits in promoting active learning and decreasing educational costs. Studies have found positive benefits associated with flipped classrooms; however, many have failed to control for confounding factors. Examples of confounding factors include comparing courses taught by different instructors or across courses taught in different semesters using different quizzes. The objective of this paper is to compare the traditional and flipped classrooms in an undergraduate civil engineering course while controlling for potential confounding factors. The quasi-experimental study incorporates students’ online behaviors, in-class performance, office hour attendance, and responses to both attitudinal and behavioral questions to assess student opinions and learning outcomes. It was found that student performance on quizzes was not significantly different across the traditional and flipped classrooms. A key shortcom...

Project CAREER: Interprofessional Support to Transition College Students With Traumatic Brain Injuries to Employment

Abstract Date Presented 4/18/2015 Project CAREER is a 5-yr interprofessional development project funded by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR). It is designed to improve the employment success of undergraduate students with traumatic brain injury (TBI) through the use of cognitive support technologies (CSTs; e.g., iPads®).