A series of three workshops is being held in 2010 to address challenges specific to projects in Texas that are supported by the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Talent Expansion Program (STEP). Workshop I has a primary focus on informing participants of the goal of each of the fifteen STEP projects funded in the state of Texas, and providing introductions and social networking opportunities for project personnel. A part of the workshop is devoted to using evidence-based decision making to inform projects, and a panel of senior PIs provides a question and answer session to field questions from new projects and to offer lessons learned. Workshop II focuses on a theme of best practices in retention for minority students, first generation students, women, and community college students. Presenters use their project data and tie their findings/recommendations to current literature. Workshop III focuses on mathematics as a critical factor in STEM student success and learning of other concepts. Topics include math preparedness, math placement, and promoting deep learning, especially for transfer and minority students. At least 28 participants are expected to attend each workshop. The product of each workshop will be a document of "Key Findings" that summarizes key conclusions and next steps, with an emphasis on information that will be useful to the project teams at the workshops and to the broader national set of STEP projects.
(NSBP) project achieved its goal of building a community of scholars across the state of Texas to share best practices in the recruitment and retention to graduation of STEM students. This goal will assist the state and nation in increasing the number of students graduating with a science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) baccalaureate degree. The project involved 14 campuses: Angelo State University Eastfield College Lamar University- Beaumont Letourneau University St. Edwards’s University Tarleton State University Texas A&M University Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi Texas A&M University- Kingsville University of Houston University of Texas at Arlington University of Texas at Dallas University of Texas at El Paso West Texas A&M University Three workshops were held over 18 month; each building on efforts to use data to inform the projects, so that adjustments could be made that would ensure efforts were having a positive impact on recruitment and retention. Cost savings on travel also allowed the project to fund two additional sub-group meetings and attendance by those projects involving community colleges at a transfer workshop. The sub-group meetings worked on use of data and presenting findings for STEP third-year reviews. The workshop presented research findings on student transfer from two to four year institutions. Survey results indicated that a community of scholars was established, with networking being one of the most valued aspects of the project by group members, along with a great desire to continue interactions. Participants also reported the increased development of knowledge among project personnel. The community of scholars allowed newly funded projects to learn from the successes and mistakes of older projects. Documents were developed to supply a listing of the intervention activities being used on the 14 campus projects to NSF. The most common strategies were: Recruitment 5 projects report one or more high school activities 4 projects report community college efforts 2 projects report efforts recruiting undeclared students Retention All respondents indicated having major retention efforts 10 focus on first year continuing to second year 7 focus on second year continuing to third year 5 focus on transfer students continuing to the next year NSBP also found a need and desire among projects to disseminate through publication of findings. Since STEP requires principal investigators be faculty in a STEM technical field, many of the PIs reported a limited knowledge of potential STEM education publications, so a list of potential peer reviewed journals for publishing STEP results was developed (available through FastLane reports). Use of the NSF funded STEP Central website was presented to the group. NSBP was led by PI Dr. Jorja Kimball, Director of Strategic Research Development (SRD) for the Texas Engineering Experiment Station (TEES) housed at Texas A&M University. Assisting Kimball are Co-PI Dr. Margaret Hobson, Assistant Director for Outreach, TEES SRD and Co-PI Judy Kelley, Associate Director of the West Texas Office of Evaluation and Research at West Texas A&M University. The Texas Engineering Experiment Station (TEES) serves as the fiscal agent for the project. A website is being developed and will be available at http:// srd.tamu.edu in August 2012. Broader Impacts: This project focuses on sharing information on the recruitment and retention of STEM students, with specific interest in the underrepresented populations of Texas:African American, and a growing population of Hispanic students grades K-16. The PI on the project is Hispanic and all three of the PIs are female. Participants were 59% female, PIs on NSF funded STEP 1A projects in Texas, and almost all STEM faculty.
