A Coherent Multi-disciplinary Initiative to Enhance Student Learning in STEM Courses

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This project is engaged in improving undergraduate teaching and student learning in the foundational courses across all STEM disciplines. This goal is being pursued by integrating two powerful teaching techniques, Just-in-Time Teaching (JiTT) and Peer Instruction (PI) within a Personal Response System. A goal is to combine these techniques in a coherent model across the STEM disciplines. This is a broad extension of previous efforts. A multidisciplinary team of faculty from Biology, Chemistry, Geology, Engineering, Mathematical Sciences, and Physics is engaged in creating a coherent, engaging, and effective student learning environment across these disciplines. Synergistic interactions among the classes in these disciplines - both at the content level and at the student experience level - is expected to result in enhanced student learning outcomes. Special attention is being paid to first generation college students through the deployment of specially-designed learning communities, because this demographic group has historically performed far below average in introductory STEM classes. This project is also designing a program of activities to assist new instructors to teach these redesigned courses in a collaborative, supportive, multi-disciplinary framework. The progress of these efforts is guided by the outcomes of carefully designed formative and summative evaluations.