The project entitled - Philander Smith College HBCU-UP Project II - builds on a very successful previous implementation project and has the goal to have an impact on the institutional capacity by enhancing the competitiveness, currency, and efficiency of the STEM education experience at Philander Smith College (PSC). In the 2011-2012 academic year, 221 of the 732 students enrolled at the institution were STEM majors. The project seeks to increase the number of research prepared students, STEM graduates, and students attending graduate schools with a STEM focus. The project aims to enhance the current STEM undergraduate research infrastructure, improve STEM education by developing and implementing cyberinfrastructure-based strategies in teaching and learning, and prepare incoming freshmen for the transition from high school to college.
The project will establish models that promote the integration of inquiry-based learning environments in STEM disciplines through scholarly research. It seeks to infuse effective innovative cyberinfrastructure-based resources, concepts, and tools to enhance the overall integration of technology in PSC's STEM educational setting. Stakeholders include underrepresented high school students, undergraduate students, and the overall STEM community. Results will be published to contribute to the body of knowledge that will lead to the understanding of educating underrepresented undergraduate students in STEM at a small liberal arts institution.
