Faculty Perceptions of STEM Student and Faculty Experiences During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study (WIP).
- Conference
- Location
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Virtual Conference
- Publication Date
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July 26, 2021
- Start Date
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July 26, 2021
- End Date
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July 19, 2022
- Conference Session
- Tagged Division
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Student
- Tagged Topic
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Diversity
- Page Count
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14
- DOI
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10.18260/1-2--37185
- Permanent URL
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https://peer.asee.org/37185
- Download Count
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477
Paper Authors
Mehdi Lamssali North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University
Experienced research assistant with a Master of Science - MS focused on Civil Engineering from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University and working towards a Ph.D. in Applied Science and Technology.
Olivia Kay Nicholas RAPID
My name is Olivia Nicholas. I am a sophomore in the Built Environment department majoring in Geomatics at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. I am a research assistant on this project.
Alesia Coralie Ferguson North Carolina A&T State University
Dr. Alesia Ferguson, is an Environmental Engineer and Public Health Specialist. She currently is the Chair of the Built Environment Department and oversees three programs: Geomatics, Environmental Health and Safety and Construction Management. Her research work focuses on children's environmental exposures and quantifying their related activities patterns. She was also a EPA lead trainer for the RRP regulations and a healthy homes specialists. She teaches courses such as Hazards Control, Industrial Hygiene, Fire Prevention, Exposure Analysis and more.
Andrea Nana Ofori-Boadu
North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University
orcid.org/0000-0001-6401-1399
Dr. Andrea N. Ofori-Boadu is an Assistant Professor of Construction and Construction Management with the Department of Built Environment within the College of Science and Technology at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (NCA & T). Her research interests are in bio-derived cement replacement materials, delivery of sustainable built environments, and professional identity development in STEM students, particularly architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) women.
In February 2019, Andrea received the prestigious National Science Foundation NSF - CAREER award to research professional identity development processes in undergraduate AEC women. In 2020, she received the NSF RAPID grant to study decision making processes in STEM students during COVID-19 pandemic. She has also received grants from East Coast Construction Services, Engineering Information Foundation, Department of Education, and the National Association of Home Builders.
In 2019, Andrea received the Outstanding Young Investigator award for both North Carolina A & T State University and the College of Science and Technology. In 2018, she was selected as a 2018 National Science Foundation - NC A & T ADVANCE IT Faculty Scholar. She also received the 2018 CoST Teaching Excellence Merit Award. Dr. Ofori-Boadu received both the 2017 NC A & T - CoST Rookie Research Excellence Award and the 2017 North Carolina A & T State University (NCAT) Rookie Research Excellence Award. Under her mentorship, Dr. Ofori-Boadu’s students have presented research posters at various NCAT Undergraduate Research Symposia resulting in her receiving a 2017 Certificate of Recognition for Undergraduate Research Mentoring. In 2016, her publication was recognized by the Built Environment Project and Asset Management Journal as the 2016 Highly Commended Paper. Andrea has served as a reviewer for the National Science Foundation (NSF), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and several journals and conferences.
Dr. Ofori-Boadu engages in professional communities to include the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE), the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), and the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC).
In 2015, Dr. Ofori-Boadu established her STEAM ACTIVATED! program for middle-school girls. She also serves as the Executive Vice-President of Penuel Consult, Incorporated. She is married to Victor Ofori-Boadu and they are blessed with three wonderful children.
Angela M. White NC A&T State University
Dr. Angela Michelle White has an extreme passion for teaching and learning science. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, a Master of Science in Biology from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Curriculum and Instruction with a concentration in Educational Psychology from North Carolina State University. Dr. White has served as an educator for 15 years at various levels and currently serves as the Assistant Dean of Student Success for the College of Science and Technology at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. In this role she strategically develops and implements initiatives that promote the academic achievement and success of students within the College. Her current research interests, publications, and presentations give attention to racial identity, science identity, science self-efficacy, metacognition, and STEM achievement of African American students. As a strong advocate for the participation of African American females in STEM, Dr. White continuously engages in discourse and research that will promote greater access to STEM-related opportunities and recognition of African American females.
Abstract
The recent outbreak of COVID-19, considered as being a lethal pandemic by the World Health Organization, has caused profound changes in the educational system within the U.S and across the world. Overnight, universities and their educators had to switch to a largely online teaching format, which challenged their capacity to deliver learning content effectively to STEM students. Students were forced to adapt to a new learning environment in the midst of challenges in their own lives due to the COVID-19 effects on society and professional expectations. The main purpose of this paper is to investigate faculty perceptions of STEM student experiences during COVID-19. Through a qualitative methodology consisting of one-hour zoom interviews administered to 32 STEM faculty members from six U.S. Universities nationwide, faculty narratives regarding student and faculty experiences during COVID-19 were obtained. The qualitative research approach involved identifying common themes across faculty experiences and views in these narratives. Some of the categories of emerging themes associated with faculty perceptions on student and faculty experiences included: student struggles and challenges, student cheating and the online environment, faculty and student adaptability, faculty and student needs and support, and university resources and support. Best practices to facilitate online teaching and learning employed by STEM faculty were also discussed. Key findings revealed that students and faculty had both positive and negative experiences during COVID-19. Additionally, there was a greater need for consistent policies to improve the online student learning experiences. Recommendations to improve STEM student experiences include increased institutional resources and collaboration between faculty and the university administrators to provide a coherent online learning environment. Preliminary findings also provide insights to enhance institutional adaptability and resilience for improving STEM student experiences during future pandemics. Future research should continue to explore institutional adaptation strategies that enhance STEM student learning during pandemics.
Lamssali, M., & Nicholas, O. K., & Ferguson, A. C., & Ofori-Boadu, A. N., & White, A. M. (2021, July), Faculty Perceptions of STEM Student and Faculty Experiences During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study (WIP). Paper presented at 2021 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access, Virtual Conference. 10.18260/1-2--37185
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