1 of 1

Summary

First2 Network PDSA Experience

First2 Institutional Team Liaison: Michelle Richards-Babb & Cinthia Pacheco

First2 Student Directors/Co-Chairs: Garrett Bender, Keyzar Dominguez, Oscar Enriquez, Ray King, Autumn Rogers, Sarah Titta

High Level Findings

Photo Highlights

Funding

Poster presented May 2023 at First2 Network Spring Conference, Stonewall Resort, Roanoke, WV 26447

Continue our strong partnership with the Office of Undergraduate Research and its programming to involve FR and SO in research as soon as they are ready.

Partner with WVU’s Center for Learning, Advising, and Student Success (CLASS) and the FirstGen Office on our campus to eliminate duplication of efforts around supporting STEM students, especially those who are underrepresented in STEM.

Collaborate with the Foundational STEM Collaborative within the Eberly College. The Collaborative will connect STEM instructors to students to facilitate cross-disciplinary course administration and content learning.

Include more First2 student scholars in PDSA work and in developing change ideas focusing on student voice and support.

Data

Tips for Other Institutional Teams

Discussion and Conclusion

Process metric (Answer to LQ 1): Of the 629 students enrolled, 300 (47.7%) submitted one or more weekly metacognitive reports (1,513 total).

Outcome Measure (Answer to LQ 2): Students self-reported improved learning strategies, e.g., increased mean scores (35.9 to 39.9) on the 11 items in McGuire’s learning strategies survey, t(96) = 7.819, p < 0.0005 (d = 0.79, medium effect size).

Outcome Measure (Answer to LQ 4): Instructors (N=4) indicated: they read over 87% of embedded reports and made ~4.5 instructional adjustments such as:

  • Provided answer keys
  • Modified the lighting/sound
  • Addressed class pace
  • Encouraged use of posted slides
  • Implemented problem-solving days”
  • Retaught a critical topic

Start small and consider each PDSA as a pilot project that could eventually develop into a larger project. Align PDSAs with your current work and use PDSAs to support your teaching, research, and service.

Partner with others at your institution engaged in research that aligns with your PDSAs. This allows you to combine data and reach better conclusions.

PDSA coaching was beneficial as it made us aware of additional resources (e.g., existing valid and reliable surveys) and supported our change ideas.

2022-23 PDSAs

2023-24 Planned PDSAs

PDSA Process

PDSA Coaching Experience

  • Research Mentor Training for faculty and grad students
  • Summer Immersion
  • Embedded Students (Fall 2022, Prep Chem)
  • Listserv (Biweekly Informational Emails to First2 Students)
  • Campus Club
  • Student Book Club

  • Embedded Students (Fall 2023, Gen Chem I)
  • Dinner with the Deans (Fall 2023)
  • Continuation of biweekly informational emails
  • Academic year research scholars
  • Student developed PDSAs
  • Others as determined by the incoming Institutional Team

We see the PDSA process as aligned with research. It involves the same steps as research but can be done on a smaller scale and without the intent to publish.

It allows for small iterative modifications and testing of change ideas that have local impacts. PDSA implementation is accessible to everyone!

Embedded Students (Prep Chem)

LQ1: Do students engage in weekly journaling for a small amount of extra credit?

LQ2: Do students improve their study habits, learning strategies, self-efficacy, and internal vs. external locus of control throughout the semester?

LQ3: Do students who engage in weekly journaling earn higher grades?

LQ4: Do instructors review weekly reports and make course modifications based on the feedback?

“…they make our professor aware of questions and concerns we have while..maintaining our anonymity. Those with anxiety or difficulty asking questions in class or outside of class are given a voice.”

“…helped me realize my study habits and improve them by seeing how many hours I was studying during the week.”

“ Students very very appreciative that they were allowed this means of anonymous feedback, especially on the days that I explicitly told them that I was responding directly to their comments.”

Chem 110 Participant Data

No. Engaged in Embedded Project

No. Sections

10 of 10 sections

No. Instructors

5 of 5 instructors

No. Students Submitting Reports

300 of 629 (47.7%)