Author(s):
Need: The Community-Engaged Educational Ecosystem Model (C-EEEM) implements a model to address challenges experienced by post-industrial cities. These cities have larger percentages of groups underrepresented in STEM (women, African Americans, Latinos, and people from low-income families) and attrition is disproportionately high for these groups in STEM fields. These cities struggle more than others to attract, develop, and retain the STEM skills in their workforce. Guiding questions: This project explores the replication of the C-EEEM in two new contexts for student outcomes across key interest areas – STEM confidence and experience, problem-solving and teamwork skills, and a sense of contribution and place attraction. What are the outcomes of this learning environment across sites within subpopulations? Outcomes: Findings from the first two years of the pilot region and the two replication sites are presented, with particular attention to underrepresented subgroups in STEM. The C-EEEM showed statistically significant differences across all interns but has shown even greater impact on underrepresented groups (women, URM, LSES). Each category of outcomes includes medium to large effect sizes. Broader Impacts:The C-EEEM implements an approach in which each region is building an educational culture whereby project-based learning and community-identified challenges are woven together and broader impacts as part of learning becomes the norm.
Coauthors
Hazel Marie, Youngstown State ; Faisal Aqlan, University of Louisville Jay Brockman, University of Notre Dame, Kerry Meyers, University of Notre Dame, Daniel Lapsley, University of Notre Dame
