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

Session Format

Poster Session (60 minutes)

Location

Holiday Inn

Second Time and Location

Friday, March 6 from 11:35-12:00 p.m.

Abstract for the conference program

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.

Proposal Track

Research Project

Start Date

3-5-2015 7:00 PM

End Date

3-5-2015 9:00 PM

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Mar 5th, 7:00 PM Mar 5th, 9:00 PM

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

Holiday Inn

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.