ERIC Number: EJ966141
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2011
Pages: 19
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Evaluation of Programmatic Interventions to Improve Postsecondary STEM Education for Students with Disabilities: Findings from SciTrain University
Moon, Nathan W.; Utschig, Tristan T.; Todd, Robert L.; Bozzorg, Ariyana
Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability, v24 n4 p331-349 Win 2011
This article discusses the evaluation of programmatic interventions to enhance postsecondary STEM education for students with disabilities. SciTrain University, a federally funded project to provide instructor training on accessible teaching according to universal design principles, is presented here as a case study on evaluation for similar programs. This article highlights the evaluation process, including relevant evaluation questions and selection of indicators, use of a mixed-methods approach, and development of instruments. We give particular attention to the utilization of longitudinal participants in order to document the project's effectiveness. Project evaluators used demographic and performance data, classroom observations, and online journals to determine the efficacy of the training provided to these longitudinal participants. For these three activities, we discuss the development and deployment of instruments and offer some preliminary findings. Finally, the article concludes with a brief discussion of internal project assessment and its role in project refinement. Given a dearth of scholarship on the evaluation of programs to enhance STEM education for students with disabilities, this article seeks to provide some practical insights into the potential for mixed-methods approaches. (Contains 2 tables and 6 figures.)
Descriptors: Disabilities, Teaching Methods, Accessibility (for Disabled), Intervention, Related Services (Special Education), Program Evaluation, Evaluation Methods, Postsecondary Education, STEM Education, Access to Education, Science Course Improvement Projects, Educational Indicators, Professional Development, Research Methodology, Research Design
Association on Higher Education and Disability. 107 Commerce Center Drive Suite 204, Huntersville, NC 28078. Tel: 704-947-7779; Fax: 704-948-7779; e-mail: ahead@ahead.org; Web site: http://www.ahead.org/publications/jped
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
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Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A