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iCubed@UMBC five-arm randomized control trial of STEM student success interventions

Design · All designs
Evidence · no claims cited

Description

iCubed@UMBC is a five-year NSF-funded investigation (Project Number 1038170, awarded 2010) into cost-effective, scalable strategies to increase STEM degree completion at UMBC. Eligible consenting freshmen are "randomly assigned into five separate groups": high-status faculty mentoring, professional staff mentoring, active-learning discussion sections in CASTLE, study-group assistance, and a control group offered a $50 bookstore gift card. Participation spans fall and spring semesters across three cohorts (2011-2012, 2012-2013, 2013-2014 academic years).

Design Implications

Context

Requirements

  • Students must have math placement scores eligible for college algebra or higher and may not be participants in UMBC scholarship programs
  • Consenting students sign consent forms before random assignment

Constraints

  • Programs as currently administered can impact a limited number of students due to cost
  • It is unclear which individual facets of UMBC's existing programs matter most for retention and graduation

Target Learners

  • Entering freshmen at a public four-year university intending to major in STEM disciplines

Learning Goals

  • STEM retention in the major
  • STEM graduation
  • first-year grades

Claims

Examples

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Key Sources

  • Dickson, L., Mandell, M., Maton, K., Marcotte, D., Rous, P., McDermott, P., Rutledge, J., LaCourse, W. R., & Sutphin, K. L. (2013). Evaluation, Integration and Institutionalization of Initiatives to Enhance STEM Student Success. SREE Fall 2013 Conference Abstract.
Page metadata
Field Value
type design
id icubed-umbc-five-arm-randomized-stem-trial
title iCubed@UMBC five-arm randomized control trial of STEM student success interventions
description iCubed@UMBC is a five-year NSF-funded investigation (Project Number 1038170, awarded 2010) into cost-effective, scalable strategies to increase STEM degree completion at UMBC.
status review
generated by process:settle-candidates on 2026-11-01
trust unverified — no one has confirmed this page's content
sources 1 — dickson-2013

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