Targeted Infusion Project: Expansion and Implementation of the Interactive LearningExpress App

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The Historically Black Colleges and Universities Undergraduate Program (HBCU-UP) through Targeted Infusion Projects supports the development, implementation, and study of evidence-based innovative models and approaches for improving the preparation and success of HBCU undergraduate students so that they may pursue STEM graduate programs and/or careers. The project at Lincoln University seeks to create an affordable mobile application (app) that focuses on the application of mathematical concepts to biological problems. This research will develop, test, and evaluate a novel, low cost, independent app to facilitate the teaching of biology application problems and to enhance student quantitative literacy. Both the content and the app will be developed by students from underrepresented groups, with subject matter expert oversight. It is expected that this app will increase student engagement which will contribute to greater student success in performing biology application problems. This app will help students improve math competency at their own pace, and allow the professor to help them at the point where they are having difficulty. Thus, this app will improve faculty ability to address one important stumbling block that can prevent students from continuing in STEM fields. One expected benefit of wide scale use of this app is increased retention of students in STEM majors.The proposed project's overall goal is to provide students with learning opportunities to apply mathematical concepts to life science problems and to provide instructors with real time information on student learning outcomes through the development and validation of a low cost interactive math app. To achieve this goal: 1) students will be recruited to assist in development of the app, 2) student focus groups will be formed to test app content and provide feedback, 3) math and biology faculty will be recruited to develop curricular modules that incorporate the app, and 4) the app will be evaluated in three Biology courses. The features of the app, including multiple levels of difficulty, tutorials, sample problems, and feedback to students and instructors coupled with the extensive question bank, will assist in strengthening the quantitative literacy of students at a wide range of universities.