Enhancing Foundational Stem Instruction and Recruitment of Students to Agricultural Science Careers

<p>NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY:<br/> In an effort to attract more undergraduate students to academic disciplines related to agricultural science, and better prepare students who enter agriculture-related professions, a new learning community titled Agricultural & Environmental Sciences Learning Community (AGE-LC) will be implemented within the UC - Riverside College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences. Incoming freshmen with broad interest in agricultural chemistry, environmental science, environmental engineering, entomology, and plant biology will begin participating in the AGE-LC as part of the general chemistry sequence, and will: 1) enroll in specific general chemistry discussion group sections, and complete case studies that are specifically designed to integrate the foundational general chemistry curriculum with the NIFA priority areas of climate change, sustainable energy,
and food safety; 2) participate in a freshman seminar course, in which faculty from a variety of environmental and biological disciplines will present relevant research and/or special topics; 3) have opportunities to participate in summer research; and 4) culminate the learning community activities in the sophomore year by conducting laboratory research, field internships, or independent study activities. The implementation of the case studies will enhance learning in the first year general chemistry course sequence, and engage first year students in issues related to the field of agricultural science, and the AGE-LC will provide opportunities for freshmen and sophomores to engage in experiential research and field activities. Taken together, these outcomes will lead to increased retention of students in academic majors related to the agricultural sciences, and the creation of a cohort
of undergraduates who are better prepared for careers in these fields.<p>
APPROACH: <br/>The infrastructure for administering the Agricultural & Environmental Science Learning Community (AGE-LC) will be developed. Three new case studies will be developed for the general chemistry three-quarter course sequence. A program for training the graduate student TA's in administering case studies and assessing student work on higher order problem solving will be created. The freshman seminar course will be designed and implemented, and a cohort of UCR faculty who are willing to participate in this course will be identified, drawing heavily from the list of volunteers preliminarily identified in Table 2. A cohort of UCR faculty who are willing and able to mentor undergraduate research in the general area of environmental/agricultural science will be identified, drawing heavily from the list of volunteers preliminarily identified in Table 2. Students
will present their work from summer research, academic year research, independent studies courses, and/or field internships in the UCR Undergraduate Research Symposium and will have the opportunity to publish their preliminary results in the UCR Undergraduate Research Journal. Student awareness of, and interest in the interdisciplinary nature of agricultural sciences will be measured using the Student Assessment of Learning Gains (SALG6), which is a validated survey instrument that has been previously used in similar contexts; the effectiveness of this program in attracting a diverse student population to degrees and/or careers related to the agricultural sciences will be evaluated using institutional data; and the quality of the educational experience of students in the general chemistry course sequence will be determined by student performance on end-of-course exams, as well as a
validated measure of higher order thinking (Metacognitive Activities Inventory - MCAI7). Students who participate in this instructional program will be assessed using these tools, and will be compared to student populations from the prior year (baseline data that will be collected in Year 1 of the project) and to control groups of students who matriculate into the College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, but who do not participate in the AGE-LC.</p><p>
PROGRESS: <br/>2012/09 TO 2013/08 <br/>Target Audience: The target audience for this project is comprised by freshmen students enerting their first year of undergraduate study. In particular, students who potentially have an interest in pursuing acadmic majors and/or careers in the broadly defined agricultural/environmental sciences, and who must take introductory general chemitry were targeted. <br/>Changes/Problems: 1. The level of student participation in the assessment surveys was lower than expected. The PI and assessment consultant discussed potential ways to remedy this issue, and it was decided that all assessment surveys be counted as homework assignments in the upcoming year. This will ensure that a much higher percentage of students will participate in the asessment protocol. 2. The pool of students who were interested in participating in summer research was smaller
than expected (only 25 of the original 75 students in the learning community were interested in research). In an effort to ensure that research faculty were getting well qualified students, the number of research students was reduced from ten to seven. Therefore, this will allow us to select 11 students for the summer 2014 research experience. Given that we will select from the two cohorts of students, we anticipate being able to fill these spots. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? 1. The PI led training sessions with the graduate student TAs in the summer of 2012, and the graduate student TAs were familiarized with the problem-based case study pedagogy. The PI also worked with the graduate student TAs in writing and submitting the case study materials for publication at the National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science. How have
the results been disseminated to communities of interest? 1. The problem-based case studies are in the process of being written and submitted for publication at the National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science (NCCSTS). To date, one case has been accepted for publication, and a second case has been submitted for publication and is currently under review. Four additional case studies are being prepared for publication, and will be submitted to the NCCSTS in the upcoming academic year. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? 1. The quantitative analysis of the first year assessment data will be carried out by the assessment consultant. This data will provide insight about the impact of the program on student learning gains, and the impact on student interest/engagement in the environmental/agricultural sciences. 2. A second cohort of incoming
freshmen will be recruited for the AGE-LC (Agricultural-Environmental Learning Community) in the 2012-2013 academic year. These students will participate in the problem-based case studies, freshman research seminar, and the potentially participate in summer research (summer 2014). 3. Select students from the 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 learning community cohorts will be recruited for summer research in 2014 (11 students will be recruited for research). 4. Assessment data will be collected for the summer 2013 research students, as well as for the the new cohort of learning community students. The final analysis of all assessment data will be initiated in the summer of 2014, and final conclusions about the impact of the freshman learning community on student learning and intereste/engagment in environmental/agricultural careers will be formulated.
<br/>PROGRESS: <br/>2011/09/01 TO 2012/08/31 <br/>OUTPUTS: -Initial assessment of students in the spring 2012 quarter was initiated. This included giving the SALG (Student Assessment of Learning Gains) survey and the MCAI (Metacognitive Activity Inventory) survey to students in our third quarter General Chemistry course. This will provide some baseline data that can be used as a comparison when we collect SALG and MCAI data in the upcoming year (the first year of implementation for the learning community and case study activities). -The PI and co-PIs met with the Dean of Natural and Agricultural Sciences to plan the advertisement and recruitment activities for the Environmental/Agricultural Sciences Learning Community (EAS-LC). -The EAS-LC was advertised to incoming students in the summer of 2012 and enrollment of students in this LC was completed. -The PI developed case studies
for the fall and spring quarters of general chemistry. These case studies will be implemented in the upcoming academic year (2012-2013). -The PI worked with two graduate student TAs who will facilitate the case studies in the fall and spring general chemistry discussion groups. -The PI trained the two graduate student TAs in facilitating the case studies, and in planning the assessment of the students' work. -The PI and co-PIs made plans for the advertisement and recruitment of students for the summer 2013 research program. PARTICIPANTS: Jack Eichler (PI), Cindy Larive (co-PI), and Marylynn Yates (co-PI): met with the Dean of Natural and Agricultural Sciences to plan the advertisement and enrollment for the EAS-Learning Community. Jack Eichler (PI): Designed the case study activities for the fall and winter quarter general chemistry courses. Trained the graduate student TAs in
facilitating the case study activities in the general chemistry discussion groups. Josh Hartman and Kelly Theel (graduate student TAs): Trained with Jack Eichler in facilitating and assessing the case study activities. TARGET AUDIENCES: The target audience for this project will be the undergraduate students who enroll in the general chemistry discussion group/learning community. -Chemistry faculty at other institutions will be able to use the published case studies as a resource. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Not relevant to this project.</p>