Creating a Vision and Strategic Plan for Increasing STEM Capacity at Tohono O'odham Community College

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A goal of the Tribal Colleges and Universities Program (TCUP) is to increase the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) instructional and research capacities of specific institutions of higher education that serve the Nation's indigenous students. Expanding the research capacity at these institutions expands the opportunities for students to pursue challenging, rewarding careers in STEM fields, provides for research studies in areas that may be locally relevant, and encourages a faculty community to look beyond the traditional classroom for intellectual and professional growth. This project aligns directly with that goal, allowing the institution?s faculty and administrators to design and develop a comprehensive plan for improving and expanding STEM instruction.Tohono O'odham Community College will conduct an institutional assessment of its STEM programs and create a strategic plan for increasing its STEM capacity. Workshops that include TOCC faculty and administration, TOCC students, Tohono O'odham Nation departments, stakeholders and external educational institutions will formulate a shared vision of what STEM capacity should be at TOCC and how to achieve it. The results of the assessment will constitute the baseline for the elaboration of a STEM Capacity-building plan and NSF TCUP STEM Instructional Capacity Excellence proposal for 2017. The plan will include a systemic, comprehensive approach to integrating our curriculum into the Tohono O'odham way of life (Himdag) through the application of an indigenous education model. This plan will also include innovative educational strategies such as the creation of learning communities focused on integrative and problem-based learning.