STEM Active Learning Vignette Series: Leveraging Evidence-based Practice, Community, and Systems of Support at California State University, Fresno

In 2017, Equal Measure visited five campuses representing four of the initial seven STEM Active Learning Networks to delve into site-level changes supporting progress toward network goals. In this vignette, we highlight the work of Fresno State, which designed the Building Opportunities with Networks of Discovery (BOND) program.Led by two junior faculty in the Fresno State College of Science and Mathematics (CSM), the CSM BOND program aims to "increase students' sense of self efficacy, sense of belonging, as well as their critical thinking and quantitative learning in order to increase student retention rates, graduation rates, and minimize the achievement gap of CSM students."The CSM BOND team developed tools and frameworks to enhance instructor efficacy, and experimented with a comprehensive model of wraparound support services for students by building and strengthening relationships with the Advising and Resources Center and the Learning Center, among other campus entities

The Use Of Peer Tutoring To Improve The Passing Rates In Mathematics Placement Exams Of Engineering Students: A Success Story

This paper describes a highly successful peer tutoring program that has resulted in an improvement in the passing rates of mathematics placement exams from 16% to 42%, on average. Statistical analyses were conducted using a Chi-Squared (X2) test for independence and the results were statistically significant (p-value much less than 0.05). These encouraging results suggest that this type of initiative should be institutionalized at the end of the grant period that funds it. The paper describes the structure of the program, the conditions of the university in which it is being implemented, the details of the statistical analyses, and its impact in engineering education. This model may easily be replicated in academic institutions with similar conditions.

Dordt College 2012-13 Catalog

Academic Catalog for 2012-13https://digitalcollections.dordt.edu/academic_catalogs/1003/thumbnail.jp

Dordt College 2004-2005 Catalog

Academic Catalog for 2004-05https://digitalcollections.dordt.edu/academic_catalogs/1011/thumbnail.jp