An Internal Evaluation of the STEM Education Innovation and Research Institute (SEIRI)
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| Title: | An Internal Evaluation of the STEM Education Innovation and Research Institute (SEIRI) |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Patrick Wilson, Pratibha Varma-Nelson |
| Source: | Journal of STEM Education: Innovations and Research. 2025 26(4):14-26. |
| Availability: | Institute for STEM Education and Research. P.O. Box 4001, Auburn, AL 36831. Tel: 334-844-3360; Web site: https://www.jstem.org |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 13 |
| Publication Date: | 2025 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research Tests/Questionnaires |
| Education Level: | Higher Education Postsecondary Education |
| Descriptors: | STEM Education, Program Evaluation, Institutes (Training Programs), Science Programs, Universities, Institutional Mission, Achievement Rating, Outreach Programs, Educational Quality, Interdisciplinary Approach, Alignment (Education), Program Implementation |
| Geographic Terms: | Indiana (Indianapolis) |
| DOI: | 10.63504/jstem.v26i4.2761 |
| ISSN: | 1526-2367 1557-5284 |
| Abstract: | The STEM Education Innovation and Research Institute (SEIRI) is a unique independent interdisciplinary unit at Indiana University Indianapolis. An internal evaluation survey was developed to properly assess the strengths and weaknesses of the institute. The design of the survey followed aligning the institute's mission with the programming provided. The survey participants were sampled from the campus STEM community and divided into three categories: faculty, institutional leadership, and co-curricular stakeholders. Members of the campus STEM community rated SEIRI highly for its contribution to advancing STEM education, supporting initiatives, and innovations. The SEIRI Seed Grant Program (SSG) and the Consultation Research and Evaluation activities were rated the most transformative among the survey participants. All programming provided by SEIRI had more than 50% of their ratings as significantly or transformative for STEM education experiences. The areas of improvement are primarily related to outreach activities to areas of the STEM campus that are underrepresented or are not currently involved with the institute. The steps used to design and perform the evaluation are areas that can be adapted to use by other organizations. Future directions for this work can seek to build longitudinal data sets that can better model and then serve the STEM community on campus. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1491315 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | The STEM Education Innovation and Research Institute (SEIRI) is a unique independent interdisciplinary unit at Indiana University Indianapolis. An internal evaluation survey was developed to properly assess the strengths and weaknesses of the institute. The design of the survey followed aligning the institute's mission with the programming provided. The survey participants were sampled from the campus STEM community and divided into three categories: faculty, institutional leadership, and co-curricular stakeholders. Members of the campus STEM community rated SEIRI highly for its contribution to advancing STEM education, supporting initiatives, and innovations. The SEIRI Seed Grant Program (SSG) and the Consultation Research and Evaluation activities were rated the most transformative among the survey participants. All programming provided by SEIRI had more than 50% of their ratings as significantly or transformative for STEM education experiences. The areas of improvement are primarily related to outreach activities to areas of the STEM campus that are underrepresented or are not currently involved with the institute. The steps used to design and perform the evaluation are areas that can be adapted to use by other organizations. Future directions for this work can seek to build longitudinal data sets that can better model and then serve the STEM community on campus. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 1526-2367 1557-5284 |
| DOI: | 10.63504/jstem.v26i4.2761 |
