Developing, Implementing, and Studying an Urban Field-Based Course to Improve Learning Outcomes in Undergraduate STEM Disciplines

St Mary'S University San Antonio, San Antonio TX

Investigators

Abstract

There is a critical need to provide undergraduate science students with authentic research experiences in order to develop their scientific knowledge, skills, and thinking. The Departments of Chemistry/Biochemistry, and Physics/Environmental Science at St. Mary's University, a 4-year Hispanic-Serving Institution located in San Antonio, Texas, will collaborate to develop and implement a field-based undergraduate course and study the effects of fieldwork on Chemistry and Environmental Science majors. Students participating in the Field Program will characterize and monitor the chemical and physical conditions at an urban stream site, Confluence Park, as it undergoes restoration and rehabilitation as a city park. The Field Program will: (1) provide scientifically rich academic experiences to Hispanic, first-generation and low-income students; (2) enhance student learning outcomes through practical application of key principles to an authentic real-world problem; and (3) promote civic engagement and pride in the community, as well as foster science literacy through outreach programs. By improving educational outcomes for this group of students, the need to develop a more diverse STEM workforce will be directly impacted. Thus, this project, funded through the National Science Foundation's Improving Undergraduate STEM Education in the Education and Human Resources Directorate (IUSE-EHR) program, the Engaged Student Learning-Exploration track, will positively contribute to the intents of the IUSE-EHR program which seeks to identify best practices to increase the number and diversity of students participating in STEM fields, as well as improve STEM learning outcomes. The goal of the Field Program is to evaluate the effects of field-based methods on attitudes and learning outcomes for a diverse group of undergraduate students engaged in Chemistry and Environmental Science. Students in the program will engage in a team-based project to characterize and monitor physical and chemical changes at an urban site, Confluence Park, on the San Antonio River that will be undergoing restoration and rehabilitation as a city park. The program capstone will be a two-semester course in Field-Based Environmental Chemistry. The Field Program will incorporate elements of experimental design, collaborative learning, practical experience using industry standards and protocols, data analysis, and communication of results to a diverse audience. By encouraging students to apply Chemistry and Environmental Science principles in a natural setting, the Field Program will provide a diverse group of students with an enhanced undergraduate STEM learning experience. Surveys before and after the course will be used to evaluate the impact of participation in the Field Program on student attitudes and learning outcomes. The interdisciplinary nature of fieldwork will foster collaboration, providing Chemistry participants with insights into the complexities of characterizing natural systems, while Environmental Science participants will gain an appreciation of the effort and uncertainties associated with high-quality laboratory analysis. This model of what to expect in a science career will enhance student commitment to a STEM discipline, which directly affects persistence within the STEM workforce pipeline. Although this program will be implemented at a specific site, the principles developed in the Field Program are designed to be adaptable by other colleges, universities, and school systems according to their own location and disciplinary interests. In addition, through characterizing and monitoring of Confluence Park as it is developed, participants will gain insights into the effects of restoration and rehabilitation on the physical and chemical conditions of an urban field site. These data will help identify restoration methods that are the most effective at achieving the desired end state. The information gathered during this study will be shared with the scientific community and other stakeholders in the development of Confluence Park in San Antonio. Through this community-field-based work, undergraduate students will not only gain scientific knowledge and acumen, but they will also develop skills related to communicating science to a broad range of people through their community engagement activities.