Tiny Earth CURE improves student persistence in science

Abstract

Course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) enhance student retention in STEM, particularly among students who belong to historically excluded communities. Yet the mechanisms by which CUREs contribute to student integration and persistence are poorly understood. Utilizing the Tripartite Integration Model of Social Influence (TIMSI), this longitudinal study examines how Tiny Earth, an antibiotic-discovery CURE, impacts student scientific self-efficacy, scientific identity, endorsement of scientific community values, and intentions to persist in science. The study also explores how gains in TIMSI factors vary as a function of student demographics and course characteristics. Results of pre- and post-course measurements show that scientific self-efficacy and identity increased among students in Tiny Earth, and some student demographics and course characteristics moderated these gains. Gains in scientific self-efficacy, identity, and values correlated with gains in persistence intentions, but student demographics and course characteristics did not. Results of this study show that the Tiny Earth CURE enhanced student integration into the scientific community, which was linked to intentions of students of both historically underrepresented and majority groups to persist in STEM. We discuss how courses that provide opportunity to learn science skills in the context of a CURE can contribute toward enlarging and diversifying the STEM workforce.

Upper-level inter-disciplinary microbiology CUREs increase student’s scientific self-efficacy, scientific identity, and self-assessed skills

“…2C ) or analyzed individually (Appendix 2, Fig. S1 to 5), a finding that aligns with what others have demonstrated in other studies ( 19 – 22 ).…”

“…Other CURE studies have also shown no significant differences for this TIMSI construct ( 19 – 22 ). Shuster et al ( 22 ) in particular noticed that some of the questions in the scientific value orientation survey (which they referred to as scientific community values) had high pre-CURE scores and as the authors noted are “leaving little room for improvement.” The authors hypothesized that students enrolling in these CUREs may already have developed an appreciation for science, which is similar to our conclusions.…”

“…Interestingly, when students’ responses were divided by gender, scientific identity showed significant gains in female but not male students. While it is possible that our lower numbers of male students may have impact on the statistical significance, Miller et al observed a similar effect in a much larger population and across diverse institutions that incorporated the Tiny Earth curriculum ( 20 ). Future studies are needed to understand the reasons and potential significance behind these observations.…”

“…Studies using the TIMSI model to evaluate CUREs are limited, but they demonstrate an increase in student self-efficacy and scientific identity regardless of the research setting. The third TIMSI construct, scientific value orientation, also referred to as scientific community values did not change significantly in any of these studies ( 19 – 22 ).…”

“…While the model was developed based on Undergraduate Research Experiences of minoritized students, it has been used to assess the influence of other pedagogical innovations in a broader population of students. Some of the pedagogical innovations of interventions in which this model has been used include career development courses ( 16 ), mentoring ( 15 ), science communication ( 17 ), remote undergraduate research experiences ( 18 ), and CUREs ( 19 – 22 ).…”