Spelman College, a minority-serving institution, will implement course revision in General and Organic Chemistry through the National Science Foundation?s Historically Black Colleges and Universities-Undergraduate Program (HBCU-UP) Targeted Infusion Project funding opportunity. The project implements a ?blended learning? in first and second year chemistry courses to improve the retention of students selecting majors in this STEM field.
The activities are designed to monitor and support student success while training students to engage in scientific thinking, master and apply scientific concepts, and transfer skills developed in the critical freshman and sophomore undergraduate years of STEM study. A blended learning format will be used for content delivery to include skill-building activities involving problem-solving sessions, team-based guided inquiry learning (e.g., POGIL, ChemDrills, case studies, computer modeling).
This 36-month project includes assessment that involves use of pre-and post exams in both sequence courses and comprehensive evaluation focusing on long-term goals impacting student retention. National and international venues will be used for the dissemination of project outcomes as well as Spelman?s I-Tunes University and the universities website.
