Collaborative Research: Using Complex Systems Theory and Methods to Gauge the Gains and Persisting Challenges of Broadening Participation Initiatives

合作研究：利用复杂系统理论和方法来衡量扩大参与计划的收益和持续的挑战

• 批准号: 2301196
• 负责人: Matilde Sanchez-Pena
• 金额: $ 29.73万
• 依托单位: SUNY at Buffalo
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2023
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2023-07-01 至 2026-06-30
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2301196&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; Using; Complex; Systems

During the last decades, there have been significant investments in Broadening Participation Initiatives (BPIs) aimed to increase the participation of marginalized groups in engineering. Yet the plethora of factors that influence the success of BPIs and persistent challenges faced by BPIs complicate a strong grasp of their impact. Not understanding the aspects that make BPIs effective, limits their potential for institutional change. BPIs are often implemented within higher education institutions, which are complex systems with intricate dynamic interactions among multiple people and factors. Therefore, to gauge the impact of BPIs it is necessary to adopt systems approaches that acknowledge such dynamic complexity. This project adopts two well-established complex systems methods to bring theoretical and practical value to harness the impact of BPIs in higher education institutions: (1) Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) to create a comprehensive theoretical model of the complex dynamics and distinct configurations of factors that lead to the outcomes targeted by a BPI; and (2) Systems Dynamics Modeling (SDM) to refine the theory of drivers and barriers to the BPI goals. The research outcomes of this project include the refinement of institutional change theories that advance women faculty in engineering and identify barriers and areas that can be leveraged for women’s success.The goals of this two-phase project are to (1) test the capabilities of QCA and SDM in refining theories for institutional change, and (2) innovate in the translation of qualitative evidence into quantitative performance measures that could support the complex system modeling of BPIs impact. This project focuses on an exemplary, well-established BPI case: the ADVANCE initiatives to influence the success of women faculty in engineering. In phase 1, Acker’s Inequality Regimes will be used as a theoretical framework, and publicly available data will be collected from 15 research one (R1) institutions that were early ADVANCE grantees and 15 comparable institutions that were not. Qualitative data will be transformed into quantitative measures through content analysis and discourse analysis. QCA models could identify the different theoretical paths leading to outcomes related to the recruitment and retention of women, particularly women of color. In phase 2, the theory of ADVANCE impact will be further refined through SDM. First, by identifying dynamics in the system illustrated in Causal Loop Diagrams (CLDs) through qualitative data collected from interviews with women faculty and administrators from a subset of the selected institutions in phase 1; and second, by enriching and strengthening the developed CLDs through Group Based Modeling performed in focus groups. The research outcomes of this project will include (1) refined theories of institutional change for the advancement of women faculty in engineering, including potentially new and confirmed causal relationships, as well as identification of persisting barriers and points of leverage for women’s success, (2) methodological innovations in translating qualitative data to quantitative performance measures, and the use of complex systems methods to study institutional change. The project results will be shared with practitioners through webinars, virtual workshops, and participation in relevant summits and conferences, in particular those appealing to the ADVANCE community, such as AIM and ARC, as well as women in engineering networks, such as WEPAN.This project is supported by NSF's EDUCore Research (ECR) program. The ECR program emphasizes fundamental STEM education research that generates foundational knowledge in the field. Investments are made in critical areas that are essential, broad and enduring: STEM learning and STEM learning environments, broadening participation in STEM, and STEM workforce development.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

在过去的几十年里，人们对扩大参与计划（BPI）进行了大量投资，旨在增加边缘群体对工程的参与，但影响 BPI 成功的因素以及 BPI 面临的持续挑战使对工程的强有力的掌握变得复杂。不了解 BPI 的有效性会限制其在高等教育机构内实施的潜力，而高等教育机构是复杂的系统，多人和因素之间存在复杂的动态互动。为了认识 BPI 的影响，有必要采用承认这种动态复杂性的系统方法，该项目采用两种成熟的复杂系统方法，为利用 BPI 对高等教育机构的影响带来理论和实践价值：（1）定性比较分析（ QCA）创建一个关于导致 BPI 目标结果的复杂动态和不同因素配置的综合理论模型；（2）系统动力学建模（SDM），以完善 BPI 目标的驱动因素和障碍理论。该项目的研究成果包括完善制度变革理论，以促进女性工程教师的发展，并确定可促进女性成功的障碍和领域。这个两阶段项目的目标是 (1) 测试 QCA 的能力和 SDM 完善制度变革理论，以及 (2) 将定性证据转化为定量绩效衡量标准，以支持 BPI 影响的复杂系统建模。该项目重点关注一个成熟的 BPI 案例：ADVANCE。给的建议在第一阶段，将使用阿克的不平等制度作为理论框架，并将从早期 ADVANCE 受资助者的 15 个研究一 (R1) 机构和 15 个类似机构收集公开数据。定性数据将通过内容分析和话语分析转化为定量测量，可以确定与女性（特别是有色人种女性）的招募和保留相关的结果的不同理论主导路径。首先，通过对第一阶段和第二阶段选定机构的女教职人员和管理人员的访谈收集的定性数据，确定因果循环图（CLD）中所示的系统动态，从而进一步完善 ADVANCE 的影响； ，通过在焦点小组中进行的基于小组的建模来丰富和加强已开发的 CLD。该项目的研究成果将包括（1）完善的制度变革理论，以促进工程领域女性教师的进步，包括潜在的新的和已确认的因果关系，也确定女性成功的持续障碍和杠杆点，(2) 将定性数据转化为定量绩效衡量的方法创新，以及使用复杂的系统方法来研究制度变革 该项目的结果将通过虚拟研讨会与从业者网络研讨会分享。 ，并参加相关的峰会和会议，特别是那些吸引 ADVANCE 社区的峰会和会议，例如 AIM 和 ARC，以及工程网络中的女性，例如 WEPAN。该项目得到了 NSF 的 EDUCore Research 的支持(ECR) 计划强调基础 STEM 教育研究，在重要、广泛和持久的关键领域进行投资：STEM 学习和 STEM 学习环境、扩大 STEM 的参与以及 STEM 劳动力。该奖项反映了 NSF 的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。