Fostering Persistence in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM): Creating an Equitable Environment That Addresses the Needs of Undergraduate Students

Student retention is a critical issue for universities, and nearly half of the students who start degree programs in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) do not complete them. The current study tracks the progress of STEM students taking part in an entry-to-graduation program designed to build community, provide academic and social support, and promote engagement in academically purposeful activities. Although it had no effect on the number of students who changed their major, the program more than doubled the number of students who graduated in their original major. Black or Hispanic students taking part in the program also graduated at twice the rate of comparator students, largely attributable to the success of women in these groups. The results provide needed real-world insights into how to create an equitable environment that promotes the persistence and graduation of students, including those from groups historically underrepresented in STEM.

Pathways and Structures: Evaluating Systems Changes in an NSF INCLUDES Alliance

In this article, we reflect on our experience applying a framework for evaluating systems change to an evaluation of a statewide West Virginia alliance funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) to improve the early persistence of rural, first-generation, and other underrepresented minority science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) students in their programs of study. We begin with a description of the project and then discuss the two pillars around which we have built our evaluation of this project. Next, we present the challenge we confronted (despite the utility of our two pillars) in identifying and analyzing systems change, as well as the literature we consulted as we considered how to address this difficulty. Finally, we describe the framework we applied and examine how it helped us and where we still faced quandaries. Ultimately, this reflection serves two key purposes: 1) to consider a few of the challenges of measuring changes in systems and 2) to discuss our experience applying one framework to address these issues.

SUSTAINABLE E-LEARNING ENGAGEMENT AND LEARNING SATISFACTION IN ONLINE BIOLOGY EDUCATION

This study was set out to determine the sustainable e-learning engagement and the level of learning satisfaction of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) students at The Rizal Memorial Colleges, Inc. This study employed a descriptive-correlational research method and used Mean and Pearson r for the data analysis. This study was conducted in the Integrated Basic Education Department of The Rizal Memorial Colleges, Inc., with a non-probability purposive sampling technique to identify the respondents. The respondents of this study were Grade 11 and Grade 12 STEM students who are currently enrolled in this academic year to answer the set questions about their sustainable e-learning engagement and the level of learning management. On the other hand, the questionnaire was validated by three experts to ensure the validity and reliability of the questions. Furthermore, the study revealed that sustainable e-learning engagement and learning satisfaction have a positive relationship. KEYWORDS: charismatic leadership, ethical practices, working relationships, engaging environment.

Evaluating Non-STEM Students’ understanding of Evolution: Basis for designing Pedagogical Intervention

Teaching human evolution, for it to yield fruitful results, should be initialized by understanding the perspective of the learners. This study was conducted to aid in achieving that objective, and also to provide ways for educators to come up with strategies that can be perceived and appreciated by learners, particularly those who are not inclined with science. The majority of the respondents are believers in the theory of human evolution. Most of the respondents expressed their belief that modern humans are successors of ape-like organisms. The majority of the same set of informants mentioned their need for clarity about the stages that humans underwent during the course of history, while almost all of those respondents stated that the utilization of various graphic materials to elucidate these evolutionary concepts. It was recommended that educators engage in learning methods that call the attention and those that can be easily understood by the students

Learning Beliefs, Time on Platform, and Academic Performance During the COVID-19 in University STEM Students

Due to the closure of universities worldwide because of the COVID-19 pandemic, teaching methods were suddenly transformed to an emergency remote teaching (ERT) modality. Due to the practical nature of STEM courses, students cannot participate in activities in which manipulating objects is necessary for accomplishing learning objectives. In this study, we analyze the relation among STEM students learning beliefs at the beginning of ERT (T1) with their Learning Management systems (LMS) time-on-task and their final academic performance (T2) during the first semester of ERT. We used a prospective longitudinal design. 2063 students (32.3% females) from a university in Chile participated, where the academic year starts in March and finishes in December 2020. We assessed their learning and performance beliefs through an online questionnaire answered at the beginning of the academic period (T1). Then, using learning analytics, time invested in the CANVAS LMS and the academic performance achieved by students at the end of the semester (T2) were assessed. The results show that students mainly stated negative beliefs about learning opportunities during ERT (n = 1,396; 67.7%). In addition, 48.5% (n = 1,000) of students stated beliefs of “medium” academic performance for the first semester (T1). Students with lower learning beliefs at T1 spent less time in the LMS during the semester and had a lower academic performance at T2 than students who had higher learning beliefs at T1. The implications of these findings on the role of instructors and institutions of higher education are discussed.

Navigating the "COVID hangover" in physiology courses

Undergraduate educators and students must navigate lingering after-effects of the COVID pandemic on education in the 2021-2022 academic year even as COVID continues to impact delivery of undergraduate science education. This article describes ongoing difficulties for undergraduate STEM students and educators and suggests strategies and easy-to-use resources that may help educators navigate the "COVID hangover" and ongoing COVID-related disruptions.

STEM Students’ Perceptions on Emergency Online Learning during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Challenges and Successes

Declaration of the COVID-19 pandemic by the World Health Organization in 2020 forced many schools to switch to emergency virtual instruction. This situation provided an opportunity to explore the effectiveness of online learning from students’ perspectives. To discover best practices for online learning, 584 STEM students at California State Polytechnic University Pomona (Cal Poly Pomona) were surveyed about their Spring and Fall 2020 experiences. Some of the obstacles students faced were adapting to a new lifestyle, feeling disconnected, managing schedule and workload, and overcoming distractions. Despite difficulties, 61% of students benefited from the flexibility, convenience, and increased productivity. The time students normally spent commuting to and parking on campus was instead spent getting more sleep, studying, working extra hours, spending time with family, and practicing self-care. Another major benefit was the increased accessibility to course materials posted online. Major themes from students’ responses were belonging, organization and transparency, and the need for real-world applications. Incorporating these strategies enhance the effectiveness of teaching methods. Responses along with some problem-solving suggestions that can improve the effectiveness of both online and in-person learning are discussed.