Two-Year College Students Report Multiple Benefits From Participation in an Integrated Geoscience Research, Coursework, and Outreach Internship Program

IF 1.7 Q2 EDUCATION & EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH

Community College Review Pub Date : 2021-10-01 DOI:10.1177/00915521211026682

K. Stofer, Jh Chandler, S. Insalaco, C. Matyas, Heidi J. L. Lannon, J. Judge, Brandan Lanman, B. Hom, Heather Norton

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引用次数: 4

Abstract

Objective: Despite the availability of high-paying, high-demand careers, few women and students from underrepresented racial and ethnic minorities enter undergraduate programs understanding what the geosciences are and associated available career opportunities. This problem is compounded for students from backgrounds underrepresented in the United States. High-impact practices, such as mentoring, internships, undergraduate research experiences, and cohort-building, increase recruitment and retention of underrepresented students in science, technology, engineering, and math at 4-year institutions. What is not yet clear is the impact these interventions have on underrepresented students at two-year colleges, where the STEM pathway has become a main postsecondary school entry point for these students due to the affordability, flexibility, and academic support provided. Therefore, we designed, implemented, and researched a year-long program providing underrepresented students at a two-year college exposure to several of these experiences. Methods: We interviewed program participants about their perceptions and experiences in the program. Analysis proceeded using constant comparison. Results: Participants reported benefits from networking opportunities, gains in confidence, and gains in job skills, while some reported challenges for participation such as communication and time expectation conflicts; participants also struggled to balance the program with employment needs on top of school requirements. Different aspects of the program benefited different students, suggesting that all of these experiences could support recruitment and foster interest in geoscience for underrepresented students at two-year colleges. Conclusion: We conclude with implications for future research, program enhancements, and time constraint and mentoring needs related to characteristics of two-year college students.

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两年制大学生报告称，参加综合地球科学研究、课程和外展实习计划有多种好处

目标：尽管有高薪、高需求的职业，但很少有女性和来自代表性不足的种族和少数民族的学生进入本科项目，了解什么是地球科学以及相关的职业机会。对于来自美国代表性不足背景的学生来说，这个问题更加复杂。高影响力的实践，如辅导、实习、本科生研究经历和团队建设，增加了4年制院校科学、技术、工程和数学领域代表性不足学生的招聘和保留率。目前尚不清楚的是，这些干预措施对两年制大学中代表性不足的学生产生了什么影响，由于所提供的负担能力、灵活性和学术支持，STEM途径已成为这些学生的主要中学后入学点。因此，我们设计、实施和研究了一项为期一年的计划，为两年制大学中代表性不足的学生提供了这些经历。方法：我们采访了项目参与者，了解他们在项目中的看法和经历。通过不断比较进行分析。结果：参与者报告了网络机会带来的好处、信心的增强和工作技能的提高，而一些参与者报告了参与方面的挑战，如沟通和时间期望冲突；除了学校要求外，参与者还努力平衡该项目与就业需求。该项目的不同方面使不同的学生受益，这表明所有这些经历都可以支持两年制大学中代表性不足的学生的招聘，并培养他们对地球科学的兴趣。结论：我们总结了与两年制大学生特征相关的对未来研究、课程改进、时间限制和指导需求的启示。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Community College Review EDUCATION & EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH-

CiteScore

2.40

自引率

7.70%

发文量

期刊介绍： The Community College Review (CCR) has led the nation for over 35 years in the publication of scholarly, peer-reviewed research and commentary on community colleges. CCR welcomes manuscripts dealing with all aspects of community college administration, education, and policy, both within the American higher education system as well as within the higher education systems of other countries that have similar tertiary institutions. All submitted manuscripts undergo a blind review. When manuscripts are not accepted for publication, we offer suggestions for how they might be revised. The ultimate intent is to further discourse about community colleges, their students, and the educators and administrators who work within these institutions.