Author(s):
Two reports in 2012 by the National Academy of Sciences and the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) found that (1) over 50% of students who start STEM college courses either switch to other disciplines or do not complete college, and (2) there is a need for a 33% increase per year in the number of completed STEM bachelor’s degrees in order to meet the future projected workforce in the STEM fields, respectively. The PCAST report also revealed that only 20% of underrepresented minority students interested in STEM finish with a STEM degree. These low percentages are largely attributed to the use of traditional lecture-based teaching in these programs. However, research on engineering education in line with discipline-based education research (DBER) findings has consistently shown that student performance in STEM subjects improves with active learning compared to traditional lectures. We have developed the Formatively Assessed Student Centered Instruction and Active Learning (FASCIAL) strategy to address the need for instructional strategies based on DBER findings. The objectives of this research are to (1) improve student conceptual understanding, (2) increase retention, and (3) raise the 6-year graduation rate in the College of Engineering at Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU) from the current 30% to the national average of 59%.The three research hypotheses of the FASCIAL strategy are that: (1) Transitioning instruction from traditional lectures to the FASCIAL mode of instruction and learning, (2) Selecting and designing effective learning tasks and (3) Systematic training of faculty and teaching assistants to become proficient in the FASCIAL strategy for engaging students in productive group learning will enhance student comprehension, retention, and graduation rates.The FASCIAL strategy focuses on transitioning away from traditional lectures, designing effective learning tasks, and training faculty and teaching assistants systematically in student-centered active learning strategies. Instructors implement (1) pre-class readings and quizzes, (2) utilize PowerPoint notes with embedded quiz questions for instant feedback using the PointSolutions web response App, (3) administer weekly formative tests, (4) facilitate group work, (5) collect 1-minute “muddy concepts” papers for each class period, and (6) conduct summative exams.After four semesters of implementing the FASCIAL teaching strategy, we observed student performance to be highly dependent on the instructor’s ability to meet the metrics set for the items 1 – 6 above.In general, as the percentage of instructors’ achievement of the stated metric increases, students’ performance in the pre-class reading assignment, PointSolutions Quizzes, and formative Canvas Tests also improves. However, we identified instances where some of the results from the summative tests decreased.This research’s broader impacts include the wider adoption of DBER practices in engineering education, the cultivation of a future cadre of STEM educators proficient in active learning strategies, the reduction of student loan burdens through accelerated graduation times, and the enhancement of collaborative skills essential for success in industry settings. Furthermore, our efforts aim to position PVAMU as a prominent contributor to the national pool of minority engineers, thereby bolstering its reputation as a leading institution in STEM education.
Coauthors
Michael Gyamerah, Paul Biney, Fred Bonner*, Justin Foreman, Judy Perkins, Abdul Choudhury, Lealon Martin, Sarhan Musa, Jaejong Park, KaiWei Liu, Carl McIntyre and Irvin Osborne-Lee Roy G. Perry College of Engineering and Whitlowe R. Green College of Education* Prairie View A & M University, Prairie View, TX
