HSI Implementation and Evaluation Project: Establishing a Peer-Led Team Learning Program at the College of Science and Engineering

Houston Christian University, Houston TX

Investigators

Abstract

With support from the Improving Undergraduate STEM Education: Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI Program), this project is aimed at improving student performance in General Chemistry I, General Biology I, and Calculus I by decreasing drop/fail/withdraw (DFW) rates and improving student grades through the implementation of Peer-Led Team Learning (PLTL). The project will further the understanding of Peer-Led Team Learning efficacy among Hispanic and African American students, given the large proportion of Hispanic (38.9%) and African American students (24.2%) enrolled. The project also seeks to explore how the experience of serving as a Peer-Leader will impact sense of belonging, retention, and grade point average among Peer-Leaders. Once established, the Peer-Led Team Learning Program can be adopted in additional STEM courses at the university to increase graduation rates, post-degree employment, and acceptance into STEM graduate and professional programs. The project will be guided by three goals: 1) Development of a PLTL program in three gateway STEM courses (General Chemistry I, General Biology I and Calculus I); 2) implementation of a PLTL program in the Fall and Spring of the academic year; and 3) Evaluation of the impact of the PLTL program on DFW rates in General Biology I, Chemistry I and Calculus I, retention and graduation rates in these disciplines, with an additional focus of how PLTL impacts the retention and graduation rates of the Peer Leaders. The project will use formal, evidence-based approaches for the design of discipline-specific workshop materials. Chemistry materials will be developed using the Predict-Observe-Explain approach and calculus and biology materials will be developed using multi-stage, problem-solving approaches. The implementation of this program aims to retain students in STEM fields, leading to an increased number of degrees earned and more diverse students entering the workforce and pursuing postgraduate STEM education. The project will further the understanding of PLTL’s efficacy at an HSI. The HSI Program aims to enhance undergraduate STEM education and build capacity at HSIs. Projects supported by the HSI Program will also generate new knowledge on how to achieve these aims. 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.