Virginia State University, through a partnership with VSU, the local school district and community leaders, seeks to target mathematics and science issues in the communities surrounding VSU. Informed by research, the coalition will develop programs which will effectively place STEM in the forefront of local community awareness.
The project will address the following research questions: -What specific social, cultural, cognitive, and personality factors are significant predictors of STEM achievement among African American students? -What is the impact of a well-developed academic-community partnership on increasing STEM participation and performance, and bringing about a shift in the community culture regarding STEM courses and the pursuit of STEM careers? -What is the effectiveness of an innovative mathematical pedagogy and interventions that address psychological, cognitive and social barriers in increasing participation and improving performance in STEM courses by African American students at the middle school, high school and college levels?
The project will utilize the Algebra Project, founded by Dr. Robert Moses, in developing the pedagogical approaches utilized.
The long term goal of this project is to develop an effective model that can be duplicated by many institutions around the country.
