Implementation Project: Improving Minority Student Persistence in STEM Fields Through Active-learning, Peer-mentoring, Undergraduate Research and Community Outreach

Lane College, Jackson TN

Investigators

Abstract

Implementation Projects provide support to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to design, implement, study, and assess comprehensive institutional efforts to increase the number of students receiving undergraduate degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and enhance the quality of their preparation by strengthen education and research. The project at Lane College seeks to build on previous successful efforts to increase participation of African-American and other students from historically disenfranchised groups in STEM disciplines. The goal of the project is to increase the number of students entering graduate and professional school in STEM fields. The project will impact all STEM majors at the institution. The project includes a strong outreach component to local K-12 schools. The project has the objectives to: enhance course delivery by engaging students in active learning, including course-based research and an expanded peer mentoring program with supplemental instruction for the foundational STEM courses; expand community outreach projects to local K-12 schools by engaging students in science literacy and providing hands-on and inquiry-based experiences; and study the impact of program activities on student perceptions of science, sense of belonging, and scientific literacy. The project also seeks to implement reformed teaching and learning strategies within critical gateway science courses and will provide professional development in pedagogy for faculty. A research study, using mixed-methods, will be conducted to investigate the effectiveness of these activities on student persistence in STEM fields within the context of an HBCU. The project will be guided and evaluated by internal and external advisory boards and evaluators. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.