Embedding active learning is a common mechanism for meeting science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education reform goals. Researchers have identified student benefits from such strategies, yet these benefits may not be universal for all students. We sought to identify how students at a nontraditional university perceive introductory biology and chemistry courses, and whether perceptions relate to course type, performance, or student status. We surveyed students ( n = 601) using open-ended prompts regarding their perceptions of factors that impact their learning and interest, and about specific learning strategies. Generally, students did not differ in what influenced their learning or interest in course content, and students mostly perceived active learning positively. Attitudes toward active learning did not correlate to final course scores. Despite similar perceptions and attitudes, performance differed significantly among student groups—postbaccalaureates outperformed all others, and traditional-age students outperformed non-traditional-age students. We found that, even with active learning, underrepresented minority students underperformed compared to their peers, yet differentially benefited from nonsummative course factors. Although students generally perceive classroom environments similarly, undetected factors are influencing performance among student groups. Gaining a better understanding of how classroom efforts impact all of our students will be key to moving beyond supposing that active learning simply “works.”
There have been multiple national calls for curricular reform in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), including a need to instill democratic skills in students. Democratic skill building can be embedded in STEM classrooms through intentional “deliberative pedagogies” that include communication, collaboration, and application of information. We developed and implemented a deliberative pedagogy, Deliberative Democracy (DD), for introductory majors and nonmajors undergraduate biology courses and took a longitudinal, qualitative research approach to understand students' experiences and perceptions of DD. We asked students to respond to open-ended survey questions regarding DD at two time points and conducted semi-structured follow-up interviews. All data were iteratively open-coded using content analysis. Students' perceptions of DD were lasting and generally positive, including self-reported themes related to DD promoting their awareness of the “real-world applications of science,” and increased “scientific literacy.” Negative perceptions of DD were largely related to issues with “group dynamics.” We detected differences between majors' and nonmajors' perceptions of DD, including in regard to scientific literacy and class time use. DD is a replicable pedagogy that can assist in instilling democratic skills in biology students.
We are pleased to present you with this report, Engage to Excel: Producing One Million Additional College Graduates with Degrees in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, prepared for you by the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST). This report provides a strategy for improving STEM education during the first two years of college that we believe is responsive to both the challenges and the opportunities that this crucial stage in the STEM education pathway presents.In preparing this report, PCAST assembled a Working Group of experts in postsecondary STEM teaching, learningscience research, curriculum development, highereducation administration, faculty training, educational technology, and successful interaction between industry and higher education. The report was strengthened by input from additional experts in postsecondary STEM education, STEM practitioners, professional societies, private companies, educators, and Federal education officials.PCAST found that economic forecasts point to a need for producing, over the next decade, approximately 1 million more college graduates in STEM fields than expected under current assumptions. Fewer than 40% of students who enter college intending to major in a STEM field complete a STEM degree. Merely increasing the retention of STEM majors from 40% to 50% would generate threequarters of the targeted 1 million additional STEM degrees over the next decade.PCAST identified five overarching recommendations that it believes can achieve this goal: (1) catalyze widespread adoption of empirically validated teaching practices; (2) advocate and provide support for replacing standard laboratory courses with discoverybased research courses; (3) launch a national experiment in postsecondary mathematics education to address the mathematicspreparation gap; (4) encourage partnerships among stakeholders to diversify pathways to STEM careers; and (5) create a Presidential Council on STEM Education with leadership from the academic and business communities to provide strategic leadership for transformative and sustainable change in STEM undergraduate education.Implementing these recommendations will help you achieve one of the key STEM goals you stated in your address to the National Academy of Sciences in April 2009: "American students will move from the middle to the top of the pack in science and math over the next decade. For we know that the nation that outeducates us today-will outcompete us tomorrow. " The members of PCAST are grateful for the opportunity to provide our input on an issue of such critical importance to the Nation's future.Sincerely,
There have been multiple national calls for curricular reform in college-level science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), including a need to instill democratic skills in students. Democratic skill building can be embedded in STEM classrooms through intentional "deliberative pedagogies" which include skills in: communication, collaboration, and application. We developed and implemented a iii TABLE OF CONTENTS
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