HSI Implementation and Evaluation Project: Establishing a Peer-Led Team Learning Program at the College of Science and Engineering

在改进的本科生STEM教育：拉美裔服务机构(HSI计划)的支持下，该项目旨在通过降低辍学/不及格/退学(DFW)率和通过实施同行主导的团队学习(PLTL)来提高学生在普通化学I、普通生物学I和微积分I的表现。鉴于西班牙裔学生(38.9%)和非裔美国学生(24.2%)所占比例很大，该项目将进一步加深对西班牙裔和非裔美国学生中同行领导的团队学习有效性的理解。该项目还试图探索担任同伴领导者的经历将如何影响同伴领导者的归属感、保留感和平均绩点。该项目将以三个目标为指导：1)在三个STEM入门课程(普通化学I、普通生物学I和微积分I)中开发PLTL方案；2)在学年秋季和春季实施PLTL方案；以及3)评估PLTL项目对普通生物学I、化学I和微积分I的DFW率、这些学科的保留率和毕业率的影响，并另外关注PLTL如何影响同行领导者的保留率和毕业率。该项目将使用正式的、以证据为基础的方法来设计特定学科的讲习班材料。化学材料将使用预测-观察-解释方法开发，微积分和生物材料将使用多阶段、解决问题的方法开发。这项计划的实施旨在留住STEM领域的学生，导致获得学位的人数增加，学生进入劳动力大军并接受STEM研究生教育的学生更加多样化。该项目将进一步了解PLTL在HSI中的功效。HSI计划旨在加强本科生STEM教育和HSI的能力建设。HSI计划支持的项目也将产生关于如何实现这些目标的新知识。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

With support from the Improving Undergraduate STEM Education: Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI Program), this project is aimed at improving student performance in General Chemistry I, General Biology I, and Calculus I by decreasing drop/fail/withdraw (DFW) rates and improving student grades through the implementation of Peer-Led Team Learning (PLTL). The project will further the understanding of Peer-Led Team Learning efficacy among Hispanic and African American students, given the large proportion of Hispanic (38.9%) and African American students (24.2%) enrolled. The project also seeks to explore how the experience of serving as a Peer-Leader will impact sense of belonging, retention, and grade point average among Peer-Leaders. Once established, the Peer-Led Team Learning Program can be adopted in additional STEM courses at the university to increase graduation rates, post-degree employment, and acceptance into STEM graduate and professional programs.The project will be guided by three goals: 1) Development of a PLTL program in three gateway STEM courses (General Chemistry I, General Biology I and Calculus I); 2) implementation of a PLTL program in the Fall and Spring of the academic year; and 3) Evaluation of the impact of the PLTL program on DFW rates in General Biology I, Chemistry I and Calculus I, retention and graduation rates in these disciplines, with an additional focus of how PLTL impacts the retention and graduation rates of the Peer Leaders. The project will use formal, evidence-based approaches for the design of discipline-specific workshop materials. Chemistry materials will be developed using the Predict-Observe-Explain approach and calculus and biology materials will be developed using multi-stage, problem-solving approaches. The implementation of this program aims to retain students in STEM fields, leading to an increased number of degrees earned and more diverse students entering the workforce and pursuing postgraduate STEM education. The project will further the understanding of PLTL’s efficacy at an HSI. The HSI Program aims to enhance undergraduate STEM education and build capacity at HSIs. Projects supported by the HSI Program will also generate new knowledge on how to achieve these aims.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.