GEMS Learning Communities (LC)

1. N = 36 students Generating Enthusiasm for Math and Science at the University of West Georgia Julie K. Bartley, Sharmistha Basu-Dutt, Rebecca Dodge, James Espinosa, Victoria J. Geisler, Javier E. Hasbun, G. Richard Larkin, Deborah Lea-Fox, Dusty Otwell, Muhammad Rahman, Karen H. Smith, Scott Sykes, S. Swamy-Mruthinti College of Arts and Sciences, University of West Georgia, Carrollton, GA 30118 • First-year Seminar Courses • Themes - CSI:UWG and Space Science • Interdisciplinary courses with a topic too broad for any one discipline to answer reinforcing the interrelationship of the STEM disciplines. • Introduce students to the scientific method using a problem- and inquiry-based learning approaches to foster motivation and independence. • Stimulate the students to learn more about the relevance and applications of STEM in a real life problems and current affairs. • Studentslearn skills useful for studying science, careers as scientist, and success in life. • Eighty-three first-year students enrolled in the courses over the past two year. • Academic performance of GEMS students after their first semester (average GPA 2.6) was better compared to other incoming students. • First year retention of the 2004 class was also better (75%) that the first-year class as a whole. • Course Reform • 15 Course Reform Projects • Supplemental Instruction and peer-led workshops in Pre-calculus and Calculus I • Peer-led workshops in Biology I • Interactive lecture demonstration in Physics I • Case-based projects in Environmental Studies • Inquiry based laboratory activities in Principles of Chemistry I and II • Technology-based activities in Physical Geology • Case-based projects in Computer Science GEMS Program Objective Increase retention, progression and graduation (RPG) of STEM majors. • GEMS Learning Communities (LC) • A unique and innovative learning environment that is personal, supportive, and focused on making the educational experience productive and fun. • LC integrates First Year English Composition, Frontiers in Science, Pre-calculus and Calculus I, Chemistry or Biology or Geology, Economics and/or Political Science. Physics: Students in both classes gained substantially in all areas on pre- and post-FMCE after Interactive Learning Demonstrations (ILD) exposure. ILD exposure improved performance on Force(3) pre/post FMCE test (32% compared to 6% in Principles of Physics) . Chemistry: Student satisfaction survey (Spring 2005) showed that inquiry-based laboratories in GEMS reformed course helped students understand chemistry concepts better and increased their interest in chemistry and SMET. CSI Learning Community pose for a photo after the Mock Trial at the end of the semester LC was productive, successful and fun! • Research Fellowships • 17 first and second year students participated in the Summer of 2005 and five students participated during the academic year. • Research projects provided students an opportunity to • explore current scientific topics, gain hands-on • experience, and become proficient in advanced • laboratory techniques. • Six students have presented their research at • Regional or National Conferences and two students co- • authored research papers. • Peer-Led Workshops and Supplemental Instruction • Peer-led Workshop in Math • . • Peer-led Workshop in Biology • Pre-calculus workshops were very effective. • Math workshops next Fall will be led by GEMS learning community students from 2004 and 2005 cohorts. • Biology workshops were not as effective. • Workshop materials are being evaluated and will be improved this Summer. • Quality of workshop leaders will be monitored. • Dissemination of GEMS Program • Gordon Conference on Chemical Education Research and Practice • Georgia Science Teacher Association Conference • National Meeting of the American Chemical Society • Biennial Conference on Chemical Education • Southeastern Mathematical Association of America Meetings • National Conference on Undergraduate Research • Midwest Artificial Intelligence and Cognitive Science Conference • Mid-South Region Meeting of the American Society of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing Ajay Pillai co-authored a paper published in the Proceedings of the NCUR Keith Rice and Bryan Victor won 1st prize for their poster at the ASPRS Mid-South Region Conference Acknowledgments: NSF STEP grant # DUE-0336571 Anna Hix presented her paper at the Midwest AI & Cognitive Science Conference. She also won 1st prize at UWG – Sigma XI student presentation Heather Dahlin and Jalpa Patel presented a poster at the National Meeting of the ACS