Tiny Earth CURE Demonstrates Equitable Benefits for U.S. College Science Students.

Abstract

Course-based undergraduate research experiences (CURE) enhance student retention in science, technology, engineering, and math (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 whether and how Tiny Earth-an antibiotic-discovery CURE designed for flexible implementation in a variety of course contexts-impacts students' 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 (i.e., scientific self-efficacy, identity, and values) vary as a function of student demographics and course characteristics. A comparison of pre- and postcourse measurements showed that scientific self-efficacy and identity increased among students in Tiny Earth. Some student demographics and course characteristics moderated these gains. Gains in all three TIMSI factors correlated with gains in persistence intentions, whereas student demographics and course characteristics did not. This study shows that the Tiny Earth curriculum equitably improved students' scientific self-efficacy and identity. It also showed that orientation toward scientific values and STEM persistence intentions held steady across most demographic groups.