UTILIZING CASE-BASED LEARNING IN A SUMMER PRE-FRESHMAN BRIDGE PROGRAM TO IMPACT STEM RETENTION RATES

Drew Kohlhorst, PhDEmory Center for Science EducationAssistant Director &Bridge Program DirectorAtlanta, GA

TALK OUTLINE

• What is a bridge program?

• Program Objectives/Design

• Curriculum Development

• Program Assessment & Findings

• Future Directions

BRIDGE PROGRAM

• Role: Provide a controlled transition for pre-freshman entering an institution while focusing on needed skills or topics.

• What needs does this bridge program address?• Improvement of Retention and Graduation rates in STEM• Building of skills, campus resource usage and learning

community for continued success in college

• What makes this program unique?• Utilizing Problem-based learning (case studies)• Residential and Online Bridge Programs

• Google Apps for Higher Education

• How were students selected?• Standardized Testing Scores, GPA & Parental Education

Residential Program3 WeeksTarget Population: 24 Students

Online Program6 Weeks

Target Population: 1 Facilitator/8

Students

PROGRAM OBJECTIVES

• Problem Solving & Critical Thinking• Problem/Case-based Learning• Confidence & Attitudes• Science Process Skills• Math Skills

• Career/Professional Development• Science Writing• Mentoring (2013)• Life as a scientist

• Skills Development• Study Skills & Time Management• Resource Awareness – Career Center, Pre-health Careers Office,

Instructional Technology Center• Personal Awareness – MAPP & Myers Briggs

Testing/Interpretation• Community Building & Group Interaction/Work

Biology

Chemistry

Physics

Public Health

Ethics

Communicating Science

Data Visualization/

Literacy

Globalization

Quantitative Analysis

CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT

Week 2

Week 1

Week 3

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

Starbucks &Pink Drinks

A Can of Bull?

Tupac’s Hologram

Technology &The Digital World

Cholera : An Infectious Cure

Cholera : An Infectious Cure

April 26, 1985:Chernobyl

April 26, 1985:Chernobyl

Indoor Air Quality: A Global Health Issue

Meet an Intro Professor

Meet an Intro Professor

Meet an Intro Professor

Group Social Event

Group Movie Night

Group Movie Night

Group Social Event

Science

Writing

Science

Writing

Science

Writing

Science & the Media

Technology &The Digital World

Science

Writing

Social EventMajor Case Study

INDOOR AIR QUALITY: A GLOBAL HEALTH

ISSUE• Description: Exploration of the issue of indoor air pollution

and how particles, chemicals can cause illness and effect quality of life

• Topics: Public Health, Biology, Ethics• Activities: Videos, Case Reading & Questions, Research

Indoor Air Pollutant, Indoor Air Audit• Program Differences:

• Online: Audit was conducted of parent’s house• Residential: Students were given GPS coordinates of on-

campus buildings, pictures of buildings were required

• Program Integration:• Residential program created map for Online students with

pictures

COACHELLA & TUPAC’S HOLOGRAM

• Description: How does a singer who died in 1996 appear on stage “live” at the 2012 Coachella festival?

• Topics: Physics, Communicating Science, Data Literacy

• Activities: Videos, Online Research, Creating PSA

• Program Differences: • Online: Development of PSA script only• Residential: Creation of Pepper’s Ghost model,

Development of Online script and creating PSA

• Program Integration:• Online program judged Residential PSA and gave awards

ADAPTING & DEVELOPING CASES

• Focus on skills development:• Quantitative skills

• Development of Math Problem Sets• Critical Thinking skills

• Problem Analysis• Data literacy

• Data Visualization skills• Scientific Process• Communicating Science

WHERE TO FIND CASES?

• Text Publishers

• National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science (NCCSTS)

• CasesONLINE (http://www.cse.emory.edu/cases/)

• BioQuest (bioquest.org)

• ScienceCaseNet (sciencecasenet.org)

• Adapt & Adopt

ASSESSMENT INSTRUMENTS

Pre & Post

Pre

& P

ost

In-Program

In-ProgramPo

st-P

rogr

amSemester

Semester

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

• Who were SUMMER BRIDGE participants?

• What were participants’ impressions of each aspect of their experience with SUMMER BRIDGE?

• Did SUMMER BRIDGE enhance participants’ attitudes about science?

• Did SUMMER BRIDGE increase participants’ confidence in their own scientific skills and abilities?

• Did SUMMER BRIDGE increase participants’ scientific literacy?

STUDENT PARTICIPANT INFORMATION

STUDENT PERCEPTIONS OF BRIDGE PROGRAM

Analysis of Student Reflection Journals – Grounded Theory – Unprompted Responses

PARTICIPANT ATTITUDES OF SCIENCE

• Increased students’ endorsement of the statement “I am knowledgeable about the many different career opportunities in science (t(20) = -4.8, p < .001)

• Increased students’ endorsement of the statement “I have come to think of myself as a scientist” (t(20) = -2.9, p < .01)

• Increased students’ perception that scientists don’t interact well with others. (t(20) = -2.8, p < .01)

• Increased students’ perception that scientists don’t have time for their family. (t(20) = -2.4, p < .05)

• Decreased students’ perception that scientists can easily get a job. (t(20) = 3.3, p < .01)

PARTICIPANT CONFIDENCE AND ATTITUDE

SUMMER BRIDGE increased students’:•Confidence in their ability to find scientific literature relevant to a particular program using online resources (t(20) = -2.9, p < .01)•Confidence in their understanding of scientific principles (t(20) = -2.7, p < .05)•Confidence that they will do well in a very hard science class in college (t(20) = -2.2, p < .05)•Feeling that they belong in the field of science (t(20) = -3.5, p < .01)•Belief that studying in teams is a productive way for them to learn (t(20) = -2.6, p < .05)•Confidence in their ability to assess the validity of scientific evidence presented on TV, radio, magazines, or the newspaper (t(20) = -2.4, p < .05)

SUMMER BRIDGE decreased students:•Comfort with writing papers (t(20) = -2.2, p < .05) •Comfort with conducting lab experiments (t(20) = 3.0, p < .01)

SCIENTIFIC LITERACY

• Participation in SUMMER BRIDGE increased student overall science literacy & problem solving skill

  N Mean Std. Deviation

Number correct- Pre-test

21 19.33 2.97

Number correct- Post-test

21 22.71 2.31

(t(20) = -5.1, p < .001)

STUDENT COMMENTSPrompt: How would you describe SUMMER BRIDGE to an incoming freshman?

•“SUMMER BRIDGE will open your eyes and show you different paths. You will have fun with science and learning.”

– Male Participant

•It’s an amazing opportunity to learn about the science fields and general science. It is also a great way to meet people who share the same passion for science.

– Male Participant

•SUMMER BRIDGE is an excellent science enrichment program that helps to prepare one for success in not just the classroom but your future path.

– Female Participant

Prompt: What did you learn about college during SUMMER BRIDGE:

•I learned college life will be fun, but difficult because now you are responsible for you.

- Female Participant

•A lot of time is expected to be utilized outside of class.

- Female Participant

•I learned about the importance of networking and talking to your professors during office hours. But I still don’t feel ready about networking like that but I guess that it is a skill that comes with practice.

- Male Participant

•The campus has several resources that students can take advantage of.

- Female Participant

FUTURE DIRECTIONS

o Tighter integration between Residential and Online Programs

o Refinement of Selection Modelo Evaluation of Case outcomes and refinemento Evaluation of Campus resource usageo Learning Community Building

o SUMMER BRIDGE Mentorso Course Cohort Development

o Role of Online/hybrid learningo SUMMER BRIDGE for ALL Pre-Freshman STEM Studentso Improve use of Social Media & Interactive Technologies

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

• NSF – STEP• Grant: 1068238• PI: Dr. Patricia Marsteller, Dr. Nancy Bliwise & Dr. Nytia Jacobs

• Summer Bridge Program Instructors• Residential

• Dr. Adrianne Edwards (2012)• Dr. Kristen Gordon (2013)

• Online• Dr. Keifer Orion (2012), • Dr. Yoskaly Lazo Fernandez, Colin Harrison, Felicia Fullilove (2013)

• Staff• Andrew Singletary

• Internal Advisory Board• Introductory Science Course Faculty

• University Advisory Board• Provost, Dean CAS, Office of Institutional Research

• External Advisory Board

• Morehouse College

UTILIZING CASE-BASED LEARNING IN A SUMMER PRE-FRESHMAN BRIDGE PROGRAM TO IMPACT STEM RETENTION RATES

Drew Kohlhorst, PhDEmory Center for Science EducationAssistant Director &Bridge Program DirectorAtlanta, GA