Using STEM to Promote Engagement, Retention, and Success Biology Department, Lorain County Community College Elyria, Ohio Meghan Andrikanich, Rosa Rivera-Hainaj, and Janis Thompson

 •  Community College (2-year) plus 40 University

Partnership programs with 12 four-year institutions •  16,110 students (including partnerships) with ~6,000

students enrolled in biology courses per year •  Department size: 6 fulltime tenured faculty; 2

fulltime Laboratory Instructional Assistants; 20 adjunct faculty; ~100 majors per year

•  Departmental programs/majors: Associate of Science, Bachelors of Biology Partnership Program, ST Technical Certificate in Sustainable Agriculture

•  Diversity of departmental faculty: o  Fulltime Male/Female: 38%/62% o  Fulltime Caucasian 100% o  Adjunct faculty diversity varies on a term-to-

term basis but averages ~13% minority representation with 63%/37% male/female

•  Diversity of students: o  Male/Female: 36%/64% o  Caucasian/Minority: 80%/20% o  FT/PT: 38%/62%

   

Demographics  

•  Teaching Assistant (TA) Program: Created to improve the lab experience for students in activity-intensive labs by supplying an additional “instructor” for students to interact with in the lab setting, to provide additional tutoring services for students science courses, and to create an opportunity for the TA to experience the field of teaching. The program purpose was intended to encourage more LCCC associate degree graduates to move into a four-year degree, continue on to graduate education, and/or consider the field of STEM education as a profession. o  Involves ~10 TAs during fall and spring semesters with ~5 for summer semester. o  >60% of the TAs have moved on to more advanced degrees after Associates. o  Over a dozen have become adjunct faculty for LCCC after attaining their degrees.

•  Independent Student Research Program: Designed to engage students in authentic science research to promote STEM learning and foster student retention and success. o  Microbial Diversity Project: Involved 150 LCCC associate degree or University

Partnership (UP) students and 100 Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts during its 5 year study. o  HIV/AIDS Project: Has involved 25 Early College High School students and 18 LCCC associate degree or

UP students during this 5-year continuing study. o  Great Lakes Nitrous Oxide Emission Project: Collaborative project with Bowling Green State University

involving 3 Post-secondary Enrollment Options students and 8 LCCC associate degree or UP students during this 2-year study. Project will continue but will now focus on Great Lakes Algae Blooms.

o  One University Partnership student completed her Masters and PhD research on the LCCC campus. o  15 additional individual student research projects during past 10 years.

•  Remedial Science Course Development: o  During the most recent academic year, two remedial science courses were developed specifically to assist

students in Anatomy and Physiology with developing critical thinking and learning success skills. o  Additional remedial science courses are being considered for other science disciplines.

Vision and Change Success

 Strengths •  Curriculum Alignment of Core Concepts: High

focus on structure/function, energy/matter transformation, and systems integration within the curriculum

•  Program Level Assessment: Regimented program review process that integrates assessment data with curricular changes

•  Physical Infrastructure: New science laboratory building completed Fall 2013

Areas for enhancement •  Administrative and Institutional Vision, Attitude,

and Action •  Faculty Development and Support

Why? In the past, there was an overextending of college resources into too many activities and projects. Now, tough economic times have altered the perspectives and direction of the institution and funding for certain initiatives has been reduced.

Department Evaluation Rubric  •  Develop a network of collaborations for potential

opportunities for LCCC students, such as:

o  Summer research projects

o  Transfer partnerships for advanced degree attainment

•  Develop a network of collaborations for faculty development:

o  Sabbatical opportunities

o  Faculty exchange?

•  Establish connections to institutions doing innovative activities that help engage students and promote STEM education to determine if similar programs and initiatives can be developed and implemented at our institution.

Connections and Collaborations

Midwest and Great Plains Regional Network

The PULSE Midwest and Great Plains Regional Network is supported by award #1355894 from the National Science Foundation