Research - Division of Student Learning and Academic Success

Welcome

As part of a metropolitan research university, the Division of Student Learning and Academic Success is committed to research that addresses interdisciplinary instructional strategies and outcomes that facilitate student academic success. We are dedicated to increasing success in higher education through technology innovation and strategic analysis.

Center for Higher Education Innovation

The UCF Center for Higher Education Innovation (CHEI) endeavors to improve higher education access, success, and completion for all by partnering internally and externally to identify, inspire, pilot, and evaluate student success innovations.

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Office of Data and Strategic Projects

The Office of Data and Strategic Projects (DSP) provides guidance and support to enhance student retention, graduation, and success. DSP provides proactive insights through effective data analysis and reporting and the leveraging of technology.

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Publications

Academic publications by our staff are listed below. Our staff members’ names appear in bold.

Berry, T.R. (2021). Finding Hope and Joy in Curriculum Theory Through Critical Race Feminism. In I. Nunez (Ed.) and J. G. Goulah (Ed.), Hope and Joy in Education: Engaging Daisaku Ikeda Across Curriculum and Context (pp. 80-93) New York: Teachers College Press.

Chamely-Wiik, D., Frazier, E., Meeroff, D., Merritt, J., Kwochka, W. R., Morrison-Shetlar, A. I., Aldarondo-Jeffries, M., Schneider, K. R., & Johnson, J. (2021). Undergraduate Research Communities for Transfer Students: A Retention Model Based on Factors that Most Influence Student Success. Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 21(1). https://doi.org/10.14434/josotl.v21i1.30273.

Chapman, D., Samuels, S. (2020). University Support of Educational Outcomes for Youth in Foster Care. Children’s Voice – Special Issue, 29(2).

Samuels, S.; Wilkerson, A.; Chapman, DeShawn; Watkins, Whitney (2020). Toward a Conceptualization: Considering Microaffirmations as a Form of Culturally Relevant Pedagogy and Academic Growth for K-12 Underserved Student Populations. Journal of Negro Education, 89 (3).

Schneider, K. R., Kuperman, A., Watts, A., Barulich, D., & Campbell, T. (2021). Tracking and Assessing Undergraduate Research Campus-wide: Demographics, Academic Success, and Post-Graduation Plans. Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 21(1). https://doi.org/10.14434/josotl.v21i1.30290.

Schneider, Kimberly R.; Nair, Uday; Straney, Rachel; Lancey, Patrice; Tripp, Mary (2021). First-Year STEM Research Program Facilitates Long-Term Academic Success. Journal of College Science Teaching, 50 (4).

Grants

PI: R Luther,
Co-PI: Daeri Tenery, Jennifer Snyder, and K.R. Schneider
National Science Foundation Grant (2019-2021) | Grant Funds: $35,555 ($650,000)

National Science Foundation S-STEM 1833818 to Valencia State College. 2019.

Supporting Graduation and Transfer of Community College Students in STEM Through Opportunities in Research.

PI: K. Fedorka,
Co-PI: K.R. Schneider, K. Teter
National Science Foundation Grant (2018-2021) | Grant Funds: $999,975

National Science Foundation S-STEM 17422380. 2018.

Transfer Student Research and Integration Program: A model for strengthening student success in STEM.

PI: M. Aldarondo-Jeffries
U.S. Department of Education (2017-2022) | Grant Funds: $1,327,535

U.S. Department of Education. P217A170253. 2017.

Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program.

PI: K.R. Schneider,
Co-PI UCF: M Aldarondo-Jeffries, with PI: A. Morrison-Shetlar, Western Carolina University and PI: D. Chamely-Wiik, Florida Atlantic University)
National Science Foundation Grant (2015-2021) | Grant Funds: $619,423 ($1,796,495)

National Science Foundation IUSE 1524666. 2015.

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: LEARNing To Build STEM Research Communities- A Proposal to Strengthen, Expand, and Disseminate a Successful Retention Model.

PI: Ryan Goodwin
Helios Education Foundation Grant (7/31/2022) | $1,000,000 – Funds to provide the PEID backbone infrastructure.

Parramore Education and Innovation District.

PI: Ryan Goodwin
JPMorgan Chase Foundation Grant (7/31/2022) | $500,000 – Funds JumpStart! To Success Adult Education Efforts in Parramore.

JumpStart!

PI: Ryan Goodwin
Kresge Foundation Grant (7/31/2022) | $450,000 – Funds PEID GED-Bridge Program and PEID backbone organization.

Parramore Education and Innovation District – GED-Bridge.

PI: Ryan Goodwin
University Innovation Alliance Grant (12/31/2021) | $675,000 – Flex funding to support innovation and student success.

University Innovation Alliance – Frontier Set.

PI: Ryan Goodwin
University Innovation Alliance Grant (12/31/2021) | $70,000 – AI tool to support student success; scale to new units.

University Innovation Alliance – Chatbot.

PI: Ryan Goodwin
University Innovation Alliance Grant (12/31/2021) | $1,602,956 – Multi-project support for advising and predictive analytics interventions, flexible student success support funding, and other UIA innovations.

University Innovation Alliance – MAAPS.

PI: Ryan Goodwin
University Innovation Alliance Grant (12/31/2021) | $30,000 – Funded NACE Competency Champions pilot program supporting integration of career and workforce competencies into coursework.

University Innovation Alliance – BGEE.

PI: Ryan Goodwin
University Innovation Alliance Grant (6/15/2021) | $11,400 – Funded emergency grants supporting students’ COVID needs.

University Innovation Alliance – Emergency Grants.

Awards

HIP Programs – Ten Student Recipients:
• Zoe Barbeau ‘20 (RAMP) – Mathematics
• Lianne Brito ‘19 (McNair, LEARN) – Civil Engineering
• Stephanie Castelin ‘19 (McNair) – Psychology
• Brendon Cavainolo (COMPASS, EXCEL) – Aerospace Engineering
• Bryan Medina (McNair, EXCEL Tutor) – Computer Science
• Kelsey Perez (McNair, LEARN) – Civil Engineering
• Brittany Robiana-Caicedo (McNair, LEARN) – Biomedical Sciences and Latin American Studies
• Ashley Santana (McNair, LEARN) – Biotechnology and Biomedical Sciences)
• Natalie Verdiguel (McNair, LEARN) – Psychology
• Ali Younis (McNair) – Chemistry
National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship from the National Science Foundation (April 20201)

NSF received more than 13,000 applications, of which only 2,074 awards were presented nationally this cycle. 16 UCF students received fellowships, the most fellowships received in a single year in UCF history.

10 of the 16 UCF recipients were McNair, COMPASS, LEARN, EXCEL, and/or RAMP students.

Academic Advancement Programs: Student Recipient: Heidi Waite (McNair Alum)
Ford Foundation Diversity Predoctoral Fellowship from the Ford Foundation (May 2020)

Heidi Waite (McNair Alum) was awarded the Ford Foundation Diversity Predoctoral Fellowship.

This is the 2nd student at UCF that has ever won this national diversity fellowship. The first student to win the award was also a McNair Scholar (Gisselle Pombar).

HIP Programs – Four Student Recipients:
• Devin Burris (RAMP, EXCEL, GEMS) – Biomedical Sciences
• Spencer Tamagni (RAMP) – Mathematics
• Oluwagbotemi Akinsoji (McNair) – Chemistry
• Riley Havel (RAMP) – Physics
Goldwater Scholarships from the Barry Goldwater Scholarship & Excellence in Education Foundation

Nationally, 410 Goldwater Scholarship Awards were awarded to students, selected from a total of 1,256 nominees. Four UCF students were selected for this prestigious scholarship, the same number of total recipients as Harvard, MIT, Yale, and Johns Hopkins.

All four UCF recipients participated in SLAS HIP programs (RAMP, EXCEL, GEMS, and McNair).

Dr. Theodorea Regina Berry
William H. Watkins Award from The Society of Professors in Education (SPE) (2021)

Dr. Theodorea Regina Berry was selected as the 2021 recipient of the William H. Watkins Award.

The recipients of this award exemplify commitment to curriculum study, community/solidarity, socio-political and class issues, and foster a culture of activism, scholarship, and mentorship.

The Society of Professors of Education’s (SPE) primary goal is to provide a forum for consideration of major issues, tasks, problems, and challenges confronting professional educators. SPE is an interdisciplinary organization.

Dr. Erin Myszkowski
President, Southeastern Association of Advisors for the Health Professions (SAAHP) (May 2020-May 2023)

Dr. Erin Myszkowski, Director of the Pre-Health and Pre-Law Advising Center, was elected as President of the Southeastern Association of Advisors for the Health Professions (SAAHP) in May 2020 and her term will continue until May 2023. SAAHP has 350+ advisor members across 14 southeastern states, and as President, Dr. Myszkowski oversees the 13-member SAAHP Board of Directors.

Neither the state of Florida, nor UCF, has had a President of SAAHP before; SAAHP has existed for 36 years and became an association in 1985.

Hurricane lan Update

Welcome

Center for Higher Education Innovation

Office of Data and Strategic Projects

Publications

Grants

PI: R Luther,Co-PI: Daeri Tenery, Jennifer Snyder, and K.R. SchneiderNational Science Foundation Grant (2019-2021) | Grant Funds: $35,555 ($650,000)

PI: K. Fedorka,Co-PI: K.R. Schneider, K. TeterNational Science Foundation Grant (2018-2021) | Grant Funds: $999,975

PI: M. Aldarondo-JeffriesU.S. Department of Education (2017-2022) | Grant Funds: $1,327,535

PI: K.R. Schneider,Co-PI UCF: M Aldarondo-Jeffries, with PI: A. Morrison-Shetlar, Western Carolina University and PI: D. Chamely-Wiik, Florida Atlantic University)National Science Foundation Grant (2015-2021) | Grant Funds: $619,423 ($1,796,495)

PI: Ryan GoodwinHelios Education Foundation Grant (7/31/2022) | $1,000,000 – Funds to provide the PEID backbone infrastructure.

PI: Ryan GoodwinJPMorgan Chase Foundation Grant (7/31/2022) | $500,000 – Funds JumpStart! To Success Adult Education Efforts in Parramore.

PI: Ryan GoodwinKresge Foundation Grant (7/31/2022) | $450,000 – Funds PEID GED-Bridge Program and PEID backbone organization.

PI: Ryan GoodwinUniversity Innovation Alliance Grant (12/31/2021) | $675,000 – Flex funding to support innovation and student success.

PI: Ryan GoodwinUniversity Innovation Alliance Grant (12/31/2021) | $70,000 – AI tool to support student success; scale to new units.

PI: Ryan GoodwinUniversity Innovation Alliance Grant (12/31/2021) | $1,602,956 – Multi-project support for advising and predictive analytics interventions, flexible student success support funding, and other UIA innovations.

PI: Ryan GoodwinUniversity Innovation Alliance Grant (12/31/2021) | $30,000 – Funded NACE Competency Champions pilot program supporting integration of career and workforce competencies into coursework.

PI: Ryan GoodwinUniversity Innovation Alliance Grant (6/15/2021) | $11,400 – Funded emergency grants supporting students’ COVID needs.