The Living in the 21st Century Integrative Studies alternative core curriculum (21st Century) is a new and radically different model for introductory undergraduate general education designed to improve students' STEM-knowledge and increase scientific literacy. This project is assessing effectiveness of the first pilot thematic course series called Earth Sustainability (ES) in meeting its stated learning goals. The multi-method assessment is evaluating: 1) gains in student learning of ES students and matched controls in which we are tracking scientific reasoning, mastery and application of STEM knowledge, problem-solving skills, and critical thinking, 2) changes in student development (cognitive, interpersonal, intrapersonal) and engagement in learning, 3) the effectiveness of the ES curricula, materials, and pedagogy in building intellectual sophistication, creating and sustaining a collaborative learning environment, fostering meta-cognitive skills, and reinforcing concepts essential to scientific literacy, and 4) the effectiveness of the ES faculty team in developing practices to promote learning with understanding, to create learning partnerships with students, and to build a larger community of scholars, on campus and nationally.
Results from the assessment are providing evidence to determine whether the Earth Sustainability pilot course series and ultimately the 21st Century core model: 1) enables students to demonstrate significant gains in student learning, development and engagement in comparison to their peers in a traditional core, and 2) encourages students to explore STEM courses, choose STEM-related majors, and ultimately STEM-related careers. Most importantly, however, this study is informing the larger question, "How do people learn science?"
