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Influential Interventions: Improving STEM Learning Outcomes for Underrepresented Students

Influential Interventions: Improving STEM Learning Outcomes for Underrepresented Students. James Diedrick, Associate Dean of the College Drew Homa, Academic Assessment Coordinator. 25th International Conference on The First-Year Experience Vancouver, B. C. • July 17, 2012.

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Influential Interventions: Improving STEM Learning Outcomes for Underrepresented Students

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  1. Influential Interventions: Improving STEM Learning Outcomes for Underrepresented Students James Diedrick, Associate Dean of the College Drew Homa, Academic Assessment Coordinator 25th International Conference on The First-Year Experience Vancouver, B. C. • July 17, 2012

  2. Agnes Scott CollegeAtlanta, Georgia Student Body as of Fall 2011: 883 students, representing 41 states and territories and 29 countries 89% of traditional students live on campus 11% are international students More than 40% are students of color. About 40% will study abroad before they graduate Historically and presently, Agnes Scott students have earned academia’s most prestigious scholarships including the Marshall, Rhodes, Fulbright, Goldwater, the Pickering Fellowship and the Gates Millennium Scholarship. Students in the Generating Excellence in Math & Science Summer Scholars Program (GEMS), Summer 2011

  3. Our Commitment to STEM Education • Majors: Biology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, Mathematics-Physics, Mathematics-Economics, Neuroscience, Public Health, Physics & Astronomy • Dual degree programs in Engineering, Computer Science and Nursing with Emory University & Georgia Tech • State-of-the art facilities in new science building, observatory on campus • Emphasis on supporting & encouraging women in pursuit of STEM fields

  4. Increasing Ethnic Diversity 1992-2011

  5. Increasing Ethnic Diversity 1992-2011

  6. Achievement Gap for URM STEM Students • Analysis of performance in introductory STEM courses clearly demonstrated a trend that faculty had long noticed (data from 2004-2009) • Achievement gap persists even for students who choose to major in a STEM discipline Percentage of STEM Majors Havinga GPA ≥3.33 (2010)

  7. GEMS Program Generating Excellencein Math & Science • Began 2007 • Year-round program aimed at supporting the success of students pursuing majors in mathematics and/or the natural and physical sciences • GEMS Summer Scholar Program, 2009-2011  • Activities include bi-monthly meetings, excursions, service projects and collaboration with ASC faculty • Students encouraged to take advantage of academic support centers. • Living-Learning component initiated for 2012-13 year. GEMS Summer Scholars on field trip to Georgia Aquarium, 2011

  8. Factors influencing success & persistence in STEM Potential for peer-led Supplemental Instruction in gateway math & science courses to have a positive influence Family Background Skills & Abilities Prior Schooling Classroom Climate Stereotype Threat Feedback on Learning Inquiry-Based Learning Exposure to Real-World Applications & Careers Re-evaluate commitments & goals Academic Integration Social Integration Decision to enroll in STEM class/major Decision to persist or depart from STEM Extracurricular Activities Peer Group Interactions University of Michigan Center for Research and Learning

  9. Teagle Foundation Support for Interventions to Promote STEM Student Success • Two-year grant received in collaboration with Davidson College to develop academic support initiatives that particularly benefit first generation and URM students • Initiative runs from August 2011-May 2013 • Goal includes use of student learning outcome data to continue the levels of academic support beyond the funding period • Initiative includes joint meetings of two institutions, workshops on campus climate issues, stereotype threat, STEM pedagogy

  10. Project Objectives • Increase student success and persistence in STEM disciplines by adding peer-led supplemental instruction (SI) sessions to gateway math and science courses • All students are encouraged to attend SI sessions • Specific impact to URM and first generation students determined through assessment • SI has been associated with more dramatic gains among URM students than among their peers* • Addressing/improving campus/classroom climate issues (Diverse Learning Environments Survey (DLE) administered Spring 2012, comparative data to be released September 2012) * Rath, Kenneth, et. al. “Supplemental Instruction in Introductory Biology I: Enhancing the Performance and Retention of URM Students” (CBE – Life Science Education 6 [2007]:203-216).

  11. New forms of academic support Coordinator for Resource Center for Math & Science (RCMS) • Assisting in facilitating the implementation and assessment of the SI program • Supporting & coordinating the work of all LA’s and peer tutors (individual peer tutors have been in place for two decades) • Increasing the level & variety of academic support available to our students in math and the sciences Peer Learning Assistants (LA’s) • Juniors or seniors selected by faculty • Training: 2-day session in August, ½ day session in January, and on-going training at regular meetings throughout each semester • Responsibilities: attending course lectures, leading SI sessions, developing workshop content (to varying extents), holding 1:1 tutoring hours & attending regular staff meetings • Grant support allowed for hiring students not eligible for traditional work-study

  12. Math & Science Learning Center Coordinator • Dr. Molly Smith, Math & Science Learning Center Coordinator • Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from University of Michigan • 6 years experience working in a university environment as a graduate student, including voluntary service roles in coordination, leadership and planning of education programs and events • 5 years corporate experience managing projects and programs involving team members in multiple locations and partners at other companies and universities; included teaching intensive mini-courses on biology and chemistry fundamentals for employees Dr. Molly Smith

  13. Ethnic & Racial Diversity of LA’s Total of 11 LA’s for 2011-12 and 12 LA’s for 2012-13

  14. SI Implementation: Overview FALL 2011 Biology 191: Cell and Animal Biology Chemistry 101: Fundamental Concepts of Matter and Reactions Math 118: Calculus I SPRING 2012 Biology 192: Molecular Biology and Genetics Chemistry 102: Periodicity and Chemical Reactions Math 118: Calculus I Math 119: Calculus II Implemented SI in 6 gateway math & science courses (13 total sections, 194 individual students) during 2011-2012

  15. SI Implementation: Overview COMMON • All students encouraged to attend SI • SI sessions offered weekly, in the evenings • SI sessions led by peer Learning Assistants (LA’s) • LA’s attend course lectures as often as possible VARIED • Method of encouraging attendance • Number of sessions per week • Level of guidance professors provided LA’s for SI content Some aspects of implementation were common across courses, while others varied by course/professor

  16. Supplemental Instruction Rubric • Session Date & Day of Week: __________________ SI Leader: ______________ • Course: ____________________ Course Instructor: _______________________ • Objective: What are the two most difficult concepts the students need to work on today? • _________________________________________________________________ • _________________________________________________________________Beginning reminders: • Arrange seats in a circle • Hand out Participation Log • Set agenda with group • Remember to relax and be flexible!

  17. Supplemental Instruction Rubric - continued Possible Processes: Informal Quiz, Matrix, Reciprocal Questioning, Paired Problem-Solving, Turn to Use Your Partner, Note Processing, Problem-Solving Rubric, Formal Definition (or ID’s), Text Review (Divide and Conquer), Pictorial Representations, Sequencing Closure options: Predict next lecture, summarize session, informal quiz, 1-minute writing --Rubric adapted from Deanna, Martin C. and David R. Arendale, Supplemental Instruction: Improving First-Year Student Success in High-Risk Courses. (National Resource Center for the Freshman Year Experience, University of South Carolina, 1992).

  18. SI Implementation: Details Fall 2011 Definitions for level of guidance provided to LA’s • Low: LA’s develop nearly all content, based on their observations during lecture & recollections from when they took the course • Mid: Profs & LA’s meet weekly to discuss possible SI topics and profs provide some guidance on specific exercises/problems to do • High: Profs provide detailed worksheets and meet regularly with LA’s

  19. SI Implementation: Details Spring 2012 * Each CHEM 102 professor used a different approach to encourage attendance

  20. Assessment Methodologies • Quantitative Data • SI session attendance logs • Mid-term and Final grades • Descriptive student variables • (class year, URM, FGEN, etc.) • Qualitative Data • Focus group interviews with First-Year students in STEM gateway courses • Meetings and focus groups with Learning Assistants • Workshops and discussions with STEM faculty using LA’s and SI

  21. Session Attendance Trends • 194 Individual students participated • Of those, 135 (70%) were “Target” students, either FGEN or URM • Since some students took more than one course, we have a total of 346 class-students who we studied. • Of those 346 students, 254 (73%) of them participated in at least 1 workshop • The ratio of Target students who participated in workshops is the same as those attending the class (108 of 156 = 70%.)

  22. SI Attendees Perform Better Overall SI Group: attended 2 or more sessions Non-SI Group: attended 0 or 1 session(s)

  23. Varied Levels of Session Attendance Times Attended

  24. Positive Impact of Regular SI Attendance From Mid-term Grade to Final Grade... Grade Target Students Non-Target Students Improved or was an A at mid-term (40%) 95 (55%) 55 No Change (22%) 53 (43%) 43 Worsened (38%) 89 (16%) 16 ...Based on Number of Sessions Attended

  25. Comparison of Fall and Spring Performance From Mid-term Grade to Final Grade From Fall 2011 to Spring 2012 Of the 102 students who took an SI class in both semesters:

  26. Samples of Student Feedback—first years [My LA] helps me to restore my faith in chemistry and want to study more. She has been very helpful, kind, patient, and honest. She explains topics in real world scenarios by making references to reality TV shows, elementary schools, and everyday life situations. At times when the textbook and word problems become to wordy she breaks them down into smaller simpler pieces that help me to piece things together and think through the question in a more useful, sensible way instead of getting stressed out and giving up. She teaches us with authority while showing humility and compassion, which makes it easier to relate to her and ask her questions that might seem trivial. I do not know what I would have done this semester without her help. The [LAs] were complete life savers- always so friendly and able to help. I absolutely loved them and was privileged to work with them.

  27. Samples of LA Feedback “What were some of your favorite things about being a Teagle Learning Assistant?” • Getting to work with students and feeling a sense of accomplishment knowing I helped them learn something. • Students trusted and respected me and I had an active role in helping them succeed. • Helping others understand concepts and seeing them apply them to all areas. • Having a close bonding with first year calculus students • Having the experience of teaching college material. • Having fun creating new forms of teaching and activities • Sharing the excitement of every “aha” moment; and of course introducing the world’s coolest subject to a new generation

  28. Next Steps/Future Plans… • SI Rubric used by all faculty • Move from encourage to require attendance at SI sessions • Facebook page to facilitate contact between students and LAs • Sharing positive impacts we’ve seen with students • Analyzing DLE data and comparing ASC with national data • Adding additional classes to SI/LA initiative (Physics) • Working with Davidson College to compare findings and best practices

  29. Selected References Brown, Marie Kendall, et al. “Teaching for Retention in Science, Engineering and Math Disciplines: A Guide for Faculty” University of Michigan Center for Research and Learning Occasional Paper No. 25, 2009. Davis, Jeff. The First-Generation Student Experience: Who They Are, Their Characteristics, and Strategies for Improving Their Persistence and Success. Stirling, Virginia: Stylus, 2010. Deanna, Martin C. and David R. Arendale. Supplemental Instruction: Improving First-Year Student Success in High-Risk Courses. The Freshman Year Experience: Monograph Series Number 7. 3rd Ed. Columbia, South Carolina: National Resource Center for the Freshman Year Experience, 1992. Eagan, Kevin & Jessica Sharkness. “A Strong Start in the Sciences: Factors Influencing Minority Students’ Academic and Social Engagement.” Conference Presentation, 28th Annual Conference on the First Year Experience, Orlando, FL February 2009. Freeman, Scott, et. al. “Prescribed Active Learning Increases Performance in Introductory Biology. CBE—Life Sciences Education,6 (2007): 132–139. Jones Taylor, Valerie and Gregory M. Walton. “Stereotype Threat Undermines Academic Learning (Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin 37 (2011): 1055–1067. Rath, Kenneth A., et. al. “Supplemental Instruction in Introductory Biology I: Enhancing the Performance and Retention of Underrepresented Minority Students.” CBE—Life Sciences Education6 (2007): 203–216. Steele, Claude. “A Threat in the Air: How Stereotypes Shape Intellectual Identity and Performance” American Psychologist 52 (1997): 613-629.

  30. Thanks to: • Dr. Molly Smith, Math & Science Learning Center Coordinator • Dr. Lerita Coleman Brown, Director of the Science Center for Women • Jennifer Cannady, AssistantDean of the College,Director of AcademicAdvising & Student Success • Agnes Scott students, staff& STEM faculty • Agnes Scott ITS Staff Bradley Observatory

  31. And also thanks to: • Dr. Laura Palucki-Blake, Assistant Director of the Cooperative Institutional Research Program (CIRP) at the Higher Education Research Institute, UCLA • Dr. Valerie Jones Taylor, Assistant Professor of Psychology at Spelman College • The National Center for the First-Year Experience and Students in Transition • The Teagle Foundation Dr. Laura Palucki Blake

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