STEM Learning Communities at Florida A&M University

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Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU) will apply a holistic approach to educating science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) students. The project goal is to improve the overall quality of STEM education at the University by increasing its efficiency in producing STEM students who are prepared for graduate study. This change will be achieved through the introduction of STEM Learning Communities (LC) at FAMU. Learning communities have been shown to improve retention rates, increase student learning and achievement, increase faculty engagement, and lessen the feelings of isolation some students feel on large campuses. It is anticipated that 200 STEM students per year will participate in the project. Intellectual merit: The LCs that will be created at FAMU are based on models that have been successful at other institutions of higher education. The project includes a research component which will allow FAMU to learn from the implementation of the LCs at a large Historically Black University. The research design will likely contribute significantly to the current knowledge base on LCs and African-American student success. Broader impacts: Because of the research component, the project has the potential to fundamentally change the delivery of STEM education at universities with large populations of African-American students. In addition, the project will likely increase the retention and graduation rates of STEM students at FAMU which is one of the largest producers of African-American students in STEM in the country.