Enhancing diversity in science: Is teaching science process skills the answer?
Open accessAbstract
The Biology Fellows Program at the University of Washington aims to enhance diversity in science by helping students succeed in the rigorous introductory biology classes and motivating them to engage in undergraduate research. The composite Scholastic Achievement Test scores and high school grade point averages of the Biology Fellows are comparable to those of students who are not in the program; however, they earn, on average, higher grades in introductory biology classes than non-Biology Fellows. Underrepresented minorities and disadvantaged students in the program also earn higher grades in the introductory biology classes than do their non-Biology Fellows counterparts. Analysis of the performance of Biology Fellows shows that the program assists students who are not proficient in certain science process skills and that students who lack these skills are at risk for failing introductory biology. This evaluation provides insight for designing programs that aim to enhance the performance of beginning students of biology, particularly for underrepresented minorities, who want to obtain a life science degree.
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A summer research experience in high school may subsequently stem the tide of attrition before the freshman year in college occurs.
“that may subsequently stem the tide of attrition before the freshman year in college occurs [2], [13], [14].”
From Underrepresented Minority High School and College Students Report STEM-Pipeline Sustaining Gains After Participating in the Loma Linda University Summer Health Disparities Research Program (2014) · cites this paper as [14]
The Discussion (page unavailable) says the Biology Fellows Program aims to sustain enthusiasm because students often leave science majors early in college, and suggests that undergraduate research may benefit participants. The section “Biology Fellows Form a Community of Science Scholars” (page unavailable) says many began research during their freshman or sophomore years. Neither passage supports the specific suggestion that a summer research experience in high school could reduce attrition before college begins. (LLM, conf=0.78)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredA summer research experience in high school can improve science process skills.
“A summer research experience in high school can develop science self-efficacy, improve science process skills and begin a lifelong commitment to inquiry-based learning”
From Underrepresented Minority High School and College Students Report STEM-Pipeline Sustaining Gains After Participating in the Loma Linda University Summer Health Disparities Research Program (2014) · cites this paper as [14]
The section “Students Show Gains in Science Process Skills after BFP” reports improved experimental-design and graphing scores among university students in the Biology Fellows Program. It does not establish that a summer research experience improves these skills in high school students; the studied population and activity differ from the claim. (LLM, conf=0.86)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredA summer research experience in high school can develop science self-efficacy.
“A summer research experience in high school can develop science self-efficacy, improve science process skills and begin a lifelong commitment to inquiry-based learning”
From Underrepresented Minority High School and College Students Report STEM-Pipeline Sustaining Gains After Participating in the Loma Linda University Summer Health Disparities Research Program (2014) · cites this paper as [14]
The Discussion (page not provided) suggests that the undergraduate Biology Fellows Program helps students build confidence in doing science. It does not establish that a summer research experience during high school develops science self-efficacy; that population and setting differ from those studied. (LLM, conf=0.78)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredProficiency in science process skills has been shown to improve performance in rigorous entry-level biology courses.
“Proficiency in science process skills (such as identifying variables, recognizing operational definitions, data and graph interpretation, experimental design, and identifying hypotheses) has been shown to improve performance in rigorous entry-level biology courses [14].”
From Underrepresented Minority High School and College Students Report STEM-Pipeline Sustaining Gains After Participating in the Loma Linda University Summer Health Disparities Research Program (2014) · cites this paper as [14]
The “A Correlation between Science Process Skills and Biology 180 Grades” section reports a significant relationship between skill scores and grades in an introductory biology course. But the Discussion calls the idea that increasing those skills would improve course performance a hypothesis, not a demonstrated effect. Our copy therefore supports an association, not the claim that proficiency has been shown to improve performance. (LLM, conf=0.88)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredA summer research experience in high school can begin a lifelong commitment to inquiry-based learning.
“A summer research experience in high school can develop science self-efficacy, improve science process skills and begin a lifelong commitment to inquiry-based learning”
From Underrepresented Minority High School and College Students Report STEM-Pipeline Sustaining Gains After Participating in the Loma Linda University Summer Health Disparities Research Program (2014) · cites this paper as [14]
The ‘Biology Fellows Form a Community of Science Scholars’ section describes undergraduate research beginning in students’ freshman or sophomore years, not a high-school summer experience. The Discussion says long-term studies are needed to assess lasting effects. Searches for high-school summer research and lifelong inquiry-based learning found no passage addressing the claim. (LLM, conf=0.76)
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References 18 · Cited by 80
Research works printed but not linked: 3
- Lopatto, D. (2003). The essential features of undergraduate research. Council on Undergraduate Research Quarterly 23, 139 -142.
- Seymour, E. (1995). The loss of women from science, mathematics, and engineering undergraduate majors: an explanatory account. Sci. Educ. 79, 437-473. Biology Fellows Program Vol. 5, Fall 2006
- Seymour, E., and Hewitt, N. (1997). Talking about Leaving: Why Undergraduates Leave the Sciences, Boulder, CO: Westview Press.
- Authors
- Dirks, C., & Cunningham, M.
- Affiliations
- University of Washington (US)
- Venue
- CBE—Life Sciences Education
- Published
- 2006-09
- Volume
- 5
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 218-226
- ISSN
- 1931-7913 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2115591390
- Cited by
- 80
- References
- 18
- Citations by year
- 2025: 2 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 9 · 2017: 8 · 2016: 3 · 2015: 8 · 2014: 6 · 2013: 4 · 2012: 5
- FWCI
- 3.94
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- CBE—Life Sciences Education (publishedVersion)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute
- University of Washington
- Directorate for Biological Sciences
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Safety Research › Career Development and Diversity
- Social Sciences › Education › Science Education and Pedagogy
- Social Sciences › Education › Higher Education Research Studies
- Keywords
- diversity in science, science process skills, introductory biology, underrepresented minorities, disadvantaged students, undergraduate research, student retention, academic performance, program evaluation
- MeSH terms
- Attitude, Biology, Demography, Educational Measurement, Female, Humans, Male, Minority Groups, Science, Students, Teaching, Cultural Diversity, Vulnerable Populations
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