More Like this

1. Incorporating Course-based Undergraduate Research Experience into Introductory Chemistry Course; Gender Inequities in STEM Education

   Alexandria Xena Singapan, Irene Lin ( July 2022 , Journal of laboratory chemical education)

   Dr. Alice Suroviec (Ed.)

   Approaches to student-centered active learning have evolved. The progression in course-design has led to the development of new learning paradigms such as collaborative, problem based, and project-based learning. Course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) are a learning pedagogy that infuses research experiences within the curriculum. This method of instruction increases opportunities for students to participate in more authentic education experiences and is especially beneficial in the science education pathway. CUREs encourage students to be autonomous and emphasize teamwork. Our research proposes methodologies that can maximize student performance, particularly benefiting underrepresented and underprepared female students. Pre- and post- assessments of a CURE classroom were administered to gauge student engagement and success in a General Chemistry course. Specifically, our research focuses on female engagement in CURE projects and overall success and retention rates to test if the teaching methods will support increased gender equity in STEM. 

   more » « less
2. Making STEM Equitable: An Active Learning Approach to Closing the Achievement Gap

   https://doi.org/10.15294/ijal.v5i2.23933  

   Christian Burke, Richard Luu ( October 2020 , International journal of active learning)

   null (Ed.)

   Active learning is a pedagogical approach which engages students in the learning process, aiming to optimize comprehension of educational material. Meta-analysis of current research shows maximum impact when applied to STEM education, especially for underrepresented minority (URM) students and students with a low GPA. This study focuses on student success, progression, completion and STEM interest within the General Chemistry course sequence at Blinded City College, which has a 51% Hispanic student population. Data from classes implementing active learning pedagogy consistently had higher success and progression rates, as well as increased progression success from General Chemistry 1 to General Chemistry 2, with a greater positive impact and completion success among Hispanic students compared to students from Asian populations, whose progression success was negatively impacted through use of active learning pedagogy in comparison to traditional lecture-based coursework. Comparison of scores for the American Chemical Society General Chemistry Exams, from this community college and at a national level, indicates active learning students perform equally well on chemistry standardized tests. In total, active learning classes were most beneficial to Hispanic students, and should be designed according to course level, be scaffolded to future coursework to maximize impact through development of STEM active learning pathways in which students are immersed in active learning classrooms continuously through undergraduate STEM academic coursework. 

   more » « less
3. A Composite Textual Phenomenological Approach to CUREs versus Traditional Laboratory Experiences

   https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2021.4454  

   Sommers, Amie ; Richter-Egger, Dana ; Cutucache, Christine ( February 2021 , The Qualitative Report)

   null (Ed.)

   Here we present unique perspectives from undergraduate students (n=3) in STEM who have taken both a traditional laboratory iteration and a Course-based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE) iteration of the same introductory chemistry course. CUREs can be effective models for integrating research in courses and fostering student learning gains. Via phenomenological interviews, we asked students to describe the differences in their perspectives, feelings, and experiences between a traditional lab guided by a lab manual and a CURE. We found that (i.) critical thinking/problem solving, (ii.) group work/collaboration, (iii.) student-led research questions and activities, and (iv.) time management are the top four emergent themes associated with the CURE course. Students also indicated that they learned more disciplinary content in the CURE, and, importantly, that they prefer it over the traditional lab. These findings add another dimension of success to CUREs in STEM education, particularly surrounding student retention. 

   more » « less
4. A report on learning gains and student confidence after incorporating an enzyme purification and characterization course‐based undergraduate experience

   https://doi.org/10.1002/bmb.21698  

   Jones, Eric ; Glanz, Hunter ; Wilkinson, Steven ; Fogle, Emily ( December 2022 , Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education)

   Course‐based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) can provide undergraduate students access to research opportunities when student and faculty resources are limited. In addition to expanding research opportunities, CUREs may also be explored as a pedagogical tool for improving student learning of course content and laboratory skills, as well as improving meta‐cognitive features such as confidence. We examined how a 6‐week CURE in an upper‐level undergraduate biochemistry lab affected student gains in content knowledge and confidence in scientific abilities, compared to a non‐CURE section of the same course. We find that gains in content knowledge were similar between CURE and non‐CURE sections, indicating the CURE does not negatively impact student learning. The CURE was associated with a statistically significant gain in student confidence, compared to non‐CURE group. These results show that even a relatively short CURE can be effective in improving student confidence at scientific research skills, in addition to expanding access to research.

    

   more » « less
5. College Student Meaning Making and Interest Maintenance During COVID-19: From Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs) to Science Learning Being Off-Campus and Online

   https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2020.590738  

   Wang, Cong ; Bauer, Melanie ; Burmeister, Alita R. ; Hanauer, David I. ; Graham, Mark J. ( December 2020 , Frontiers in Education)

   null (Ed.)

   In response to the outbreak of COVID-19 the national landscape of higher education changed quickly and dramatically to move “online” in the Spring semester of 2020. While distressing to both faculty and students, it presents a unique opportunity to explore how students responded to this unexpected and challenging learning situation. In four undergraduate STEM courses that incorporated course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs)—which are often focused on discovery learning and laboratory research—we had an existing study in progress to track students' interest development at five time points over the Spring 2020 semester. Via this ongoing study we were able to investigate how students stay engaged in their college science courses when facing unexpected challenges and obstacles to their learning. Longitudinal survey data from 41 students in these CURE courses demonstrated that students' situational interest dropped significantly when their CURE courses unexpectedly shifted from hands-on, discovery-based, and laboratory-based instruction to online instruction. Although we observed a dramatic decline in student interest in general after the CURE courses moved fully online, the decline rates varied across students. Students who were able to make meaningful connections between the learning activities and their personal or career goals were more likely to maintain a higher level of interest in the course. Implications for practice are discussed. 

   more » « less