Asee peer logo

Supplemental Instruction to Decrease Equity Gaps in Gate-Keeper Engineering Courses (ERM)

Download Paper |

Conference

2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Location

Minneapolis, MN

Publication Date

August 23, 2022

Start Date

June 26, 2022

End Date

June 29, 2022

Conference Session

Minorities in Engineering Division Technical Session 6

Page Count

11

DOI

10.18260/1-2--41059

Permanent URL

https://peer.asee.org/41059

Download Count

381

Paper Authors

author page

Jessica Perez California State Polytechnic University, Pomona

author page

Faye Wachs California State Polytechnic University, Pomona

biography

Harmony Nguyen California State Polytechnic University, Pomona

visit author page

I am a recent graduate of Cal Poly Pomona. My research focuses on educational innovation with a particular focus on underrepresented minorities in engineering.

visit author page

biography

Deanna Miranda Barrios

visit author page

Masters In Social Work

visit author page

biography

Lily Gossage California State Polytechnic University, Pomona

visit author page

Lily Gossage (Director, Maximizing Engineering Potential: Center for Gender, Diversity & Student Excellence, College of Engineering/Cal Poly Pomona) provides management-level oversight for development, strategic planning, recruitment/retention of minority, women, first-generation, low-income, adult-returning students. She is advisor for American Indian Science & Engineering Society, National Society of Black Engineers, Society of Women Engineers. As a seasoned grant writer, her composition skills help her procure funding for engineering student success. With 22 years in higher education, she developed academic interventions for addressing low-completion rate engineering courses, mandatory tutoring, early identification/monitored success programs. Experienced in K-12 outreach, she developed a unique residential program serving homeless girls/mothers. Outreach/recruitment efforts for low-income communities and narrowing the opportunity gap for minority students are at the heart of her advocacy.

visit author page

biography

Brooke Jones

visit author page

Brooke recently graduated from California Polytechnic University, Pomona with a psychology degree. She is continuing her education in an educational psychology Master's program.

visit author page

Download Paper |

Abstract

This study explores the impact of Technology-Assisted Supplemental Instruction (TASI) on the sense of belonging and academic achievement of URM identified students in Statics courses at a large public HSI university. TASI is a peer-led tutoring service in partnership with faculty support that targets high failure rate STEM courses, in this case, three different iterations of Statics. Students completed four surveys that measured demographics, sense of belonging in their field of study, and confidence in their ability to do well in their courses. In addition, TASI attendance, students’ academic and enrollment data were collected. Preliminary belonging data at the beginning of the term showed the nearly 80% of Latinx students agreed with the statements: “I sometimes feel like other students in my field of study have skills that I do not,” and “When I struggle in a class I feel that I don’t belong in the field”. Linear regression also shows that the main predictor of student grades in Statics are identifying as a URM student or Pell recipient. TASI has the goal of increasing academic support and therefore performance to alleviate these feelings and ensure student persistence. Using matched pairs analysis, the data shows a statistically significant increase of 0.4 to 0.5 in course grade on a 4-point scale. These results were most apparent in URM students. The rate of failing grades for URM students decreased up to twenty percent (depending on the section). The impact of the TASI is more evident for students of color during the COVID pandemic and virtual learning. The use of an anti-deficit lens highlights how imperative it is to have meaningful, useful, and accessible interventions. Student facilitators, access, and awareness of programs are noted as crucial to success.

Perez, J., & Wachs, F., & Nguyen, H., & Miranda Barrios, D., & Gossage, L., & Jones, B. (2022, August), Supplemental Instruction to Decrease Equity Gaps in Gate-Keeper Engineering Courses (ERM) Paper presented at 2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Minneapolis, MN. 10.18260/1-2--41059

ASEE holds the copyright on this document. It may be read by the public free of charge. Authors may archive their work on personal websites or in institutional repositories with the following citation: © 2022 American Society for Engineering Education. Other scholars may excerpt or quote from these materials with the same citation. When excerpting or quoting from Conference Proceedings, authors should, in addition to noting the ASEE copyright, list all the original authors and their institutions and name the host city of the conference. - Last updated April 1, 2015