UC Irvine

Colleges shape student classroom experiences through macro-level curriculum policies and micro-level learning designs. Understanding the impact of these policies on students’ peer environments and learning opportunities, and designing classroom interventions to improve student experiences, is crucial for enhancing educational quality and equity. Study 1 examines gender sorting both across and within majors, documenting sorting at a student-by-course level. We observed considerable sorting within majors. This study suggests that previous research focusing solely on major-level sorting overlooks important opportunities to understand the mechanisms driving gender segregation in higher education. Study 2 demonstrates the impact of leadership diversity in study group compositions on engagement in online STEM courses. Online learning has expanded access to STEM education but is hindered by limited social interaction, leading to reduced satisfaction and success rates. This study introduces a low-cost, scalable method to enhance student engagement by diversifying study group composition based on leadership motivation. Findings indicate that students in modified groups exhibited higher levels of engagement and satisfaction. The benefits were especially pronounced for underrepresented minority students, with enhanced social networks and a sense of belonging. Study 3 evaluates the impact of condensed courses on student success within a statewide community college system using a quasi-experimental approach. Condensed courses offer flexibility and have the potential to benefit students juggling education and other responsibilities, though concerns exist about potential overburdening. Findings show that condensed courses significantly improve student persistence, completion rates, and grades in current courses. Additionally, students are more likely to succeed in subsequent courses within the same subject. This study contributes to the ongoing dialogue on educational innovation by providing rigorous causal evidence on the effectiveness of condensed courses with large-scale data.