Broadening Participation Research: Relationship between targeted faculty development and student success in introductory science courses at an HBCU community college

Shelton State Community College, Tuscaloosa AL

Investigators

Abstract

The project will examine the extent to which training science faculty members at an HBCU community college (CC) in two teaching techniques (Reading Apprenticeship and critical thinking skill development) and subsequently supporting trained faculty through introductory science course redesign and implementation will result in improved student learning outcomes, particularly for minority students at the community college. The reading apprenticeship pedagogy focusing on strengthening disciplinary science reading skills would address the academic developmental needs of entering community college students in west central Alabama, known as the Black Belt for the acute poverty, inadequate public education, poor health, and high unemployment that exists in the region. The critical thinking skill development pedagogy would change the focus from simply covering science content at the community college to fill gaps in student preparation to developing their critical thinking and reasoning to improve students' problem solving ability. The project will contribute knowledge on what are effective approaches in teaching science in an HBCU community college specifically, and could generalize to other community colleges.