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Self‐Efficacy Ratings of URM Students who Return to a STEM Summer Research Program
Author(s) -
Shadding Cherilynn Reynolds,
Whittington Dawayne
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.26.1_supplement.623.2
Subject(s) - likert scale , tracking (education) , medical education , psychology , medicine , pedagogy , developmental psychology
The Opportunities in Genomics Research (OGR): Undergraduate Scholars program is a comprehensive, research‐intensive summer program focuses on increasing the number of underrepresented minorities in genomics and related areas. To assess the unique features of OGR, students were given pre‐ and post‐ evaluations at the start and end of the 8‐week program (n=44). Focus groups were conducted to address specific program components. Students were also tracked yearly using an online tracking system, iBiosketch. The groups of students were defined as return students (more than one summer with OGR), first‐time students (first research experience was OGR) or non‐return (only one summer with OGR). Our data shows that students who were return or first‐time students served as co‐authors of publications at 11.4 % compared to 4.5% non‐return students. Using a Likert scale, confidence ratings in areas such as: interpreting data, communicating scientific findings orally, reading and interpreting literature, trended toward an increase in confidence for return students compared to others. While these studies are ongoing, our data indicate that there may be tangible benefits for URM students to return to a summer program that helps retain them in the STEM pipeline.