University of Maryland Eastern Shore Science, Mathematics, Engineering, and Technology ACTION Program

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Through the NSF Historically Black Colleges and Universities Undergraduate Program (HBCU-UP), the University of Maryland Eastern Shore will implement the ACTION Program (Advanced Curriculum and Technology-Based Instruction Opportunities Network). ACTION will address the low numbers of under-represented minorities completing undergraduate degrees, pursuing advanced degrees, and entering the workforce in the fields of science, technology engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The goals of the project include: 1) Develop an effective recruiting and college bridge program; 2) Improve STEM education infrastructure, improve retention rates and performance in STEM courses; 3) Develop a complete STEM undergraduate research infrastructure; and 4) Provide STEM faculty with the incentives to be first-rate mentors, instructors, and researchers. Strategies that will be implemented include: 1) Develop a comprehensive web- site, UMES ACTION program, that disseminates enrollment and course placement information to science teachers, counselors, and other school officials in order to help recruit STEM students; 2) Coordinate with LSAMP recruitment efforts via a faculty visitation program; 3) Increase the preparation of entering students to increase retention and enrollment; 4) Review and revise gate-keeping and bottleneck courses, standardize multiple section courses, and implement a supplemental homework and support laboratory for each course; 5) Develop research opportunities for students completing their first year of coursework; 6) Develop a faculty and upperclassmen student research program that emphasizes the scientific method, data collection, and the characterization and dissemination of results; 7) Establish internships, summer employment, and other off-campus research related activities; and 8) Provide support for faculty development through research and technical instruction activities.INTELLECTUAL MERIT: The ACTION project is modeled after previously successful programs including; a Xavier University model on standardized courseware, the National Science Education Standards, and the UMES LSAMP summer bridge program. The ACTION project will effectively manage student enrollment resulting in increasing, retaining, and graduating students in the STEM disciplines. Students will have access to mentoring, tutoring, revised curricula and pedagogies, and research opportunities. Faculty of core gate-keeping courses will participate in systematically improved curricula and pedagogy thereby addressing the importance of both student preparedness and faculty pedagogy in STEM education. BROADER IMPACT: The ACTION project impacts African American undergraduates entering STEM disciplines, prepares students for graduate studies, and provides a broad range of research experiences. The project has considerable potential to impact the number of African American undergraduate and graduate students in the STEM fields. Faculty who benefit from project activities will impact large numbers of STEM students. The project activities address locally identified needs, but the prevalence of similar needs nationally implies potential for duplication.