Science and Language: A Transitional and Integrative Approach to the Learning of Science

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This project is designed to address the needs of African-American women who do poorly in science upon entering the academic world. Students in the Program, which targets disadvantaged minority women in Pittsburgh, often find science courses a roadblock in their academic path and a place for failure. Despite a high level of motivation and eagerness to succeed in science, many students struggle with the combined effects of inadequate science study skills, years of separation from secondary math and science courses, and a lack of confidence. Yet these students have ability and the potential to pursue careers in science. A specific objective of the project includes designing a "Science and Language" course that 1) examines science in a non-traditional way by integrating a 4-credit science class with a 3-credit writing class so that students use writing as a tool to learn science and use science as the content in developing writing skills; 2) facilitate students' transition between previous course work and their study of science; 3) maximize connections among science principles, real-life situations, and issues familiar to African-American women; 4) engage students in designing their own experiments; 5) engage students in collaborative teaching and peer tutoring experiences in which they learn as teachers of the content; and 6) creates a partnership between students and instructors that provides flexibility in designing approaches to learning. The project's objectives are: 1) to design Biology Study Groups modeled after those of Uri Treisman in math to further integrate the course's content and foster an experience of an academic science community; 2) to design a "safety net" of tutorial support involving Carlow's Learning Center and Hill College's new Peer Tutoring Program, and 3) to collect data for evaluation. The planned Science and Language course begins by helping students eliminate barriers such as anxiety as they become conversant with science through reviewing a science-fiction film, analyzing a report on the state of Science Education in the U.S. and examining essays and texts related to science. In the writing class, students explore the investigative nature of science, the human element of science, and science as language through reading and discussions, written summaries, outlines, abstracts, essays and lab reports. On-going science classes and laboratories parallel the ongoing writing class. The science half of the class requires student participation and student-designed experiments with de-emphasis on canned labs and instructor-dominated lectures. Students study major themes in Natural Science such as DNA and Heredity, Inter-dependence and Ecology, Diversity and Evolution. Assessment and evaluation are given the highest priority in the project. Activities include 1) monitoring the program as it is implemented with data collected regarding student attendance, participation, success of study groups, etc., and 2) assessment of included taped interviews, student's before and after completion of the course to determine impact in the ares of self-esteem, reasoning ability, and academic performance. Additional data will be collected regarding demographic characteristics of the students (age, race, number of children, etc. and academic background. Planned dissemination of results include local, regional, and national presentations and conferences; publications; and informal hosting of teachers of science at the College to observe the courses. The Science and Language course is a proposed solution to reverse the failure of African-American adult women in introductory science. It pulls together what is known about how to teach science, how students best learn science and our own experiences in teaching it, with the goal of offering a multifaceted approach for success. If this course "works" it opens the door to science for majors and non- majors and can serve as a model for students failing in science. The model itself can be easily adapted to other institutions and implemented without excessive cost or dependence on Federal funding.