Education Research
The C-CoMP team is rounded out by education researchers who are conducting empirical research on the impacts of C-CoMP education and outreach activities. Their research examines the impacts of both formal curriculum interventions and research education experiences. Given the aim to broaden participation among racial, socioeconomic, sexual, and gender groups, all educational research studies will examine the experiences and outcomes of sub-populations of individuals with attention to intersectionality (i.e., experiences of individuals with multiple marginalized identities). Educational research activities are framed in terms of relevant learning, motivation, and career development theory, as well as the logical connections between the stated goals of each activity, the fidelity of its implementation, and its hypothesized outcomes.
Current Research
The C-CoMP education team is currently working on the K-12 Ocean Science Landscape Study, a large-scale study that will survey teachers from a nationally representative sample of middle and high schools. The goal is to understand the forces, both extrinsic and intrinsic to teachers and classrooms, that influence their ability and desire to cover ocean science concepts in their classrooms. For more information about this study, please visit the K-12 Ocean Science Landscape Study project webpage.
Undergraduate education research
All undergraduate activities (e.g. CUREs) will be evaluated formatively and summatively to make year-to-year improvements and examine effectiveness in terms of developing student interest, motivation, and integration into the scientific community. Evaluation will address success in:
(1) Engaging all C-CoMP senior personnel in outreach and/or undergraduate education and training
(2) Providing experiences that promote learning and development
(3) Providing multiple entry points into research
(4) Scaling mentor: student ratios with the difficulty of research
(5) Integrating data science competencies at all program levels.