Launching a Peer Supplemental Instruction Program for an Introductory Biology Course

For the first time at Georgia Gwinnett College, a supplemental instruction (PSI) program was designed to provide peer-led instruction on a) principles of biology, chemistry, mathematics and b) academic skills e.g. self-regulated learning, strategies in studying and test-taking. PSI for Principles of Biology (BIOL1107K) was carried out by PSI leaders who previously earned a grade of ‘A’ or ‘B’ in BIOL1107K, received training on tutoring practices and worked with faculty to develop active learning exercises/worksheets for PSI sessions. PSI was open only to students who earned a grade of ≤ 75% on the first exam across four BIOL1107K sections. Comparison of exam grades revealed that PSI student performance was not significantly different from control (students who earned a grade of ≤ 75% on the first exam but did not enroll in PSI). The challenges at an institution lacking a PSI culture and strategies to encourage student commitment will be discussed

Wiki Technology: Promoting Academic Success in the Science Classroom

Author\u27s abstract: The Georgia Gwinnett College campus wiki site has progressed from a tool to accompany the traditional educational platform to a site utilized by multiple faculty and students to generate a collaborative learning environment. Biology faculty’s utilization of the wiki varies classroom to classroom, including solving case studies or problems, completing group research projects, and student development of chapter reviews and exam study guides. In all three applications of the wiki, students consistently rank the wiki in the top three course resources that are useful to help achieve academic success, surpassing the course textbook. It ranks as the number one course resource in classrooms using the wiki to develop reviews and exam study guides. Additional data results from the student survey will show the comparison of the student’s experiences in wiki and non-wiki classrooms, as well as the effectiveness of the wiki in various aspects of student learning

Lessons Learned from Development and Implementation of a STEM Service Learning Project

What questions and conversations do 3-way multi-level blended STEM teaching partnerships generate? Participating college faculty reflect on their scholarly teaching of cooperative problem-based learning designed to empower college STEM majors to foster development of scientific habits of mind in young students. Themes include mentoring techniques, feedback mechanisms, and emerging signature pedagogies for this type of college internship experience. In the service learning partnership explored in this session, college interns teach a semester-long inquiry-based enrichment program which places 5th graders in the role of science sleuths. Science faculty teach pedagogy to their college interns while partnering with them to design pedagogy, labs, and science mysteries based on the specifications, formative, and summative feedback from elementary teachers. The college interns guide their 5th grade students to generate hypotheses, perform experiments to test these hypotheses, interpret lab results, and propose a solution to a science mystery based on their results. The faculty panel will engage in interactive reflection with the audience exploring questions and emergent themes based on summaries of stakeholder surveys and focus groups. Lessons learned from this teaching and learning experience will be presented in an interactive format designed to explore generalizability and pose new questions in the ongoing research

Updates from and Lessons Learned in Delivering a Service Learning Course to Enhance Elementary STEM Education in Gwinnett County

Georgia Gwinnett College’s (GGC) School of Science and Technology (SST) is continuing a science investigation partnership with a local elementary school. College interns use hands-on investigations to help 5th grade students solve a science mystery. Updates on progress since last year’s presentation, including the design and delivery of a new science mystery involving elementary chemistry and physical science, as well as program modification based on participant feedback will be presented

STEM II Initiative at Georgia Gwinnett College

GGC’s 4-year undergraduate research experience (4-yr URE) incorporates research skills and experiences in key courses in all four years of the STEM undergraduate curriculum. We will describe how a USG-STEM initiative II grant funds the development of course- embedded research modules, SoTL projects, and individual faculty–student research projects

DNA Barcoding: Integrating Active Research Experiences into Undergraduate Education

The traditional undergraduate program of study incorporates a selection of classes that represent a broad spectrum of sub-disciplines. Unfortunately few curricula successfully integrate concepts in all sub-disciplines, leaving undergraduates discouraged by an apparent lack of application or connectedness between class subjects. At Georgia Gwinnett College we have initiated a comprehensive research program that attempts to redress this problem by bridging classes within one discipline in an effort to engage undergraduate students in a long-term analysis of biodiversity. Our approach is inclusive- lower and upper-division undergraduates coordinate class research projects for a common goal, and longitudinal- research data collected will be maintained and supplemented each semester and year in an online biodiversity database (DNA Barcoding Project). The biodiversity research bridge we have initiated brings students from different classes and levels of instruction together with faculty in a research project aimed at chronicling the changing face of the local environment in biological terms. Though we have concentrated on one discipline there is no reason to assume other disciplines could not take advantage of similar research connections

STEM II Initiative at Georgia Gwinnett College

GGC’s 4-year undergraduate research experience (4-yr URE) incorporates research skills and experiences in key courses in all four years of the STEM undergraduate curriculum. We will describe how a USG-STEM initiative II grant funds the development of course- embedded research modules, SoTL projects, and individual faculty–student research projects

Enhancing Student Engagement and Student Learning in STEM fields at GGC Through Course-Embedded Research and Service Learning Internships: An Update

Undergraduate Research, Service Learning, and Internships are three of the ten High-Impact Educational Practices for student engagement and learning listed by the American Association of Colleges and Universities. Course-Embedded Research and Service Learning Internships are components of GGC’s STEM Initiative for enhancing student engagement and student learning in STEM disciplines. GGC’s STEM initiative includes a 4-year undergraduate research experience (4-yr URE) initiative designed to promotes the success of students in STEM education. It is well established that providing students’ with research experiences through all four years of their matriculation increases retention, improves student engagement, and students’ interest in STEM. The 4-yr URE identifies key courses in each year of the curriculum during which students are exposed to research skills and experiences. Over the past three and a half years, faculty have been engaged in a) developing and/or redesigning courses to include course-embedded research, b) designing individual faculty–student research projects, and c) developing SoTL projects. These activities and projects are supported through competitively funded mini-grants. In addition to the 4-yr URE, GGC’s STEM Initiative also includes a service learning component. The Service Learning Internship course provides opportunities for STEM undergraduate students to gain teaching experience in science and mathematics at the K-5 level. GGC student interns spend 45 hours over the semester working directly with teachers and their students, and develop and plan Georgia Performance Standards (GPS)-based inquiry lesson plans, hand-on activities, and research-based science projects with the teachers. We will describe key components of our STEM Initiative and report on our progress to date. GGC’s STEM Initiative is supported by a USG-STEM initiative II grant

Building and Sustaining High Student Engagement in STEM Fields: Using a Discipline-Specific Course-embedded Research Model (4YURCE) and Service Learning Internships

Undergraduate Research, Service Learning, and Internships are three of the ten High-Impact Educational Practices for student engagement and learning listed by the American Association of Colleges and Universities. Course-Embedded Research and Service Learning Internships are components of GGC’s STEM Initiative for enhancing student engagement and learning in STEM disciplines. GGC’s STEM Initiative includes (1) a Four-year Undergraduate Research and Creative Experience (4YrURCE) based upon a novel discipline-specific course-embedded research model which scaffolds multiple research and creative experiences for all STEM majors during all four years of matriculation, and (2) a Service Learning Internship course designed to provide opportunities for STEM undergraduate students to gain teaching experience in science at the K-5 level. We will describe components of our STEM Initiative, progress made to date, and the impact of this model at GGC. GGC’s STEM Initiative is supported by a USG-STEM initiative II grant

A Service Learning Course to Enhance Elementary STEM Education in Gwinnett County

Georgia Gwinnett College’s (GGC) School of Science and Technology offered a Service Learning course in collaboration with Gwinnett County’s McKendree Elementary School. GGC STEM majors conducted 20 hours of inquiry- based, hands on science activities in 5th grade classes. The 5th graders presented the activities and results of their investigation to their parents at Family Science Night