Course Revision in Introductory STEM Courses: An Exploratory Study at an HBCU Community College

ABSTRACT

This paper presents the results of an exploratory study of a professional development-based effort at one of the nation’s 14 federally designated Historically Black Colleges and Universities community colleges. Course revisions included introductory courses in its Natural Sciences department. The goal was to improve students’ critical-thinking and reading skills in science through faculty professional development opportunities, to improve success across all science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) curricula. This study examines faculty-selected professional development efforts combined with time release for course revision, and how it impacted students’ attitudes toward science and students’ critical-thinking skills. Six of the department’s 11 full-time faculty instructing introductory science courses received training in WestEd’s Reading Apprenticeship program and on critical-thinking skills. These faculty then revised their courses as they chose based on techniques learned during their training. A comprehensive assessment that included extensive course videos, pre- and post-tests of students’ attitudes toward science the Critical Thinking Assessment Test, and focused interviews with faculty were conducted. Despite major cuts in state support, turnover of key administrators, and other challenges, improvements in student attitudes toward STEM topics and critical-thinking skills were documented as faculty expanded their teaching tool-kits.     

Learning from experience ‐ the teachers as well as the students

Abstract

The University of New South Wales has offered an integrated programme of postgraduate study in higher education leading to three qualifications, since 1991. The programme's primary goal is to prepare university academics to be professional university teachers ‐ teaching being most academics’ second profession. This paper describes the programme, its teaching methods and objectives, and some of the challenges and rewards of offering such a degree programme. Among the challenges for both participants and teachers is to continue to learn from experience; to apply a combination of theory based on knowledge of research, and understanding based on informed reflection on practice; and to improve practice throughout a career, despite bureaucratic and resource constraints. In a programme such as this, all of this happens in an atmosphere that is stimulating, challenging, at times threatening, and above all rewarding.     

Plan Before You Play: An Activity for Teaching The Managerial Process

This article describes a 60‐minute classroom activity using LEGO^® bricks that demonstrates and reinforces the importance of the managerial process. The activity, Plan Before You Play (PBP), is targeted to introductory business classes, and differs from others in that it requires little investment or up‐front planning, is easily scalable, and, with a few minor adjustments, can be altered sufficiently to discourage information drift across multiple class offerings and academic terms. It can also be modified to subject specific discussions. Students can participate in PBP regardless of their level of knowledge or interest in the subject. Participating in PBP provides students with a concrete example of how good communication and a decision framework can result in more efficient use of resources. The activity also encourages creativity and can be used to generate healthy competition between student groups.     

Take space,make space: how students use computer science to disrupt and resist marginalization in schools

ABSTRACT

Background and Context

Overlaying Computer Science (CS) courses on top of inequitable schooling systems will not move us toward “CS for All.” This paper prioritizes the perspectives of minoritized students enrolled in high school CS classrooms across a large, urban school district in the Western United States, to help inform how CS can truly be for all.     

The Impacts of System and Human Factors on Online Learning Systems Use and Learner Satisfaction

Success in an online learning environment is tied to both human and system factors. This study illuminates the unique contributions of human factors (comfort with online learning, self‐management of learning, and perceived Web self‐efficacy) to online learning system success, which is measured in terms of usage and satisfaction. The research model was tested employing SEM on a sample of 674 college students enrolled in at least one online course. The factors of comfort with online learning and perceived Web self‐efficacy were significant predictors of satisfaction. Comfort with online learning was significant in predicting usage. The impact of demographic variables was examined.     

Reflections on the need for continued research on writing

A focused scientific research effort on writing research and its relationship to language development and reading is needed to address the writing and broader literacy needs of today’s and tomorrow’s learners and workers. In the United States, as well as in many other nations, research on writing has been neglected in relation to the emphasis on reading and oral language more generally. The authors argue first for why there is a need for this refocused effort, what should be focused on, and how as a field we should consider moving forward and addressing this imperative. In addressing the why, the authors argue that need is not limited to a particular age or developmental range but rather is broad-based, beginning with our youngest learners and continuing through those transitioning into post-secondary and the workplace. The clear message is that the picture is surprisingly similar across age ranges with a demonstrated need beginning with those coming from less advantaged backgrounds into formal education to the majority of students transitioning from twelfth grade into the workplace or post secondary settings. The authors suggest next steps for research addressing both what and how: what areas of science are areas of high need and how the field may consider moving forward to address these needs. Interdisciplinary research on writing is needed that addresses and integrates cognitive, biological, and social-cultural traditions, contributions, and methods.     

Neural Differences in Bilingual Children's Arithmetic Processing Depending on Language of Instruction

Many children in bilingual regions follow lessons in a language at school (school‐language) that they hardly ever speak at home or in other informal settings. What are the neural effects of this phenomenon? This functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study investigates the effects of using school‐language on brain activity during a high cognitive task in two groups of French/Dutch bilingual children. Participants were asked to assess the correctness of 3‐operand (e.g., 5 ? 2 = 3) and 4‐operand (e.g., 3 ? 2 = 1 + 4) equations, respectively. Instructions about the task were given either in the children's school‐language or in another language that they only used at home. It was found that although both groups recruited a visuomotor occipitofrontal network in the left hemisphere, the children who performed the task in their school‐language showed less activation than the children who did not, indicating the importance of language of instruction for bilingual children's arithmetic processing.     

Humor and anxiety: Effects on class test performance

Measures of trait anxiety, state anxiety, and achievement were obtained on a sample of undergraduate students, half of whom received additionaal humorous items in the achievement test. In a regression analysis, the trait anxiety × test version interaction was a significant predictor of achievement. Subsequent analyses revealed a disordinal interaction in which highly anxious students had lower achievement on the humorous test than on the nonhumorous test, and students with low anxiety had higher achievement on the humorous test than did students with high anxiety. The results do not support the popular assumption that humor is a positive factor in reducing high anxiety associated with academic evaluations.