This WIDER project is transforming the introductory STEM courses at Berea College into high-Âengagement, active learning environments following the SCALE-ÂUP model that has shown to be successful in physics and other STEM disciplines. Introductory courses in biology, chemistry, physics, and computer science are being targeted. Baseline data described the enrollments and instructional modes in the targeted courses. These courses are being further enhanced by the inclusion of undergraduate Teaching Associates from the Berea College Labor Program (work study), who are acting as peer instructors in the classroom and enabling the program to maintain a student-Âteacher ratio of 10-1 that is supporting student learning.
The underlying change strategy for this project can be described as environmental/emergent. It is capitalizing on a faculty culture of reflective teaching, while moving towards a shared vision for first year STEM courses. This project is creating lasting, transformative change by: 1) supporting a faculty-Âled initiative to implement substantive changes in introductory STEM classrooms, 2) by deepening knowledge about evidence-Âbased practice among the faculty, and by 3)improving student learning and retention in first year STEM courses.
This project capitalizes on several strengths of Berea College, including its wellÂ-established Labor Program, a collegial and collaborative environment for teaching, and the faculty's commitment to providing a high-Âquality education to underserved students from Appalachia and beyond. Because of its historic mission to serve groups traditionally under-Ârepresented in higher education and STEM, Berea College is ideally placed to gauge the effectiveness of this model on the retention and success of economically disadvantaged students in STEM disciplines. In addition, as a member of the Work Colleges Consortium, Berea is serving as a national exemplar for the implementation of studio-Âbased introductory STEM courses using undergraduate Teaching Associates to maintain a low student-Âteacher ratio.
