Improving Student Success in the Sciences

Here and Beyond

QUALITY ENHANCEMENT PLAN (QEP) FOR IMPROVING LEARNING IN THE SCIENCES

Leslie Parise, Professor and Chair of Biochemistry and Biophysics, School of MedicineKevin Guskiewicz, Senior Associate Dean, Natural Sciences, College of Arts & Sciences

Background Our 2016 reaccreditation from Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) requires:

◦ Compliance Certification: Reports documenting Carolina’s compliance with standards related to University’s mission and operations

◦ Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP): A 5-year, focused plan that:◦ Makes a measurable improvement of student learning ◦ Is aligned with the University’s mission and strategic priorities◦ Involves broad-based campus participation

Our Timeline

Sept. 15, 2015 – Reaffirmation document due

Nov. 20, 2015 – Feedback from off-site reviewers

March 1, 2016 – Focused report and QEP due

April 18-21, 2016 – On-site reviewers

May 15, 2016 – Receive report from on-site reviewers

Oct 15, 2016 – Respond within 5 months of committee report

Late Fall 2016 – SACSCOC BOT makes decision

Efforts that Informed the QEP Choice◦ Prior strategic plans and working groups◦ Senior and alumni surveys◦ Curriculum reviews◦ Analyses of:

◦ transfer, first generation, low income, URM student success, student progression, course-taking patterns , selections of majors, flipped classrooms, national studies on science graduates

What was learned (examples):

◦ 60% increase in intended/declared science majors since 2004

◦ Transfer student obstacles to completing a science major◦ Course redesign helps all students and diminishes

achievement gaps in large gateway science courses ◦ Weaknesses in quantitative skills reported by alumni and

graduating seniors ◦ Science majors less likely to study abroad vs all other

groups

QEP Steering Committee Composition

Carolina Performing Arts

College of Arts and Sciences◦ Art◦ Biology◦ Chemistry◦ Communication Studies◦ Computer Science◦ Exercise and Sport Science◦ Math◦ Public Policy

School of Journalism and Mass Communication

School of Medicine◦ Biochemistry and Biophysics◦ Medicine, Burn Center◦ Microbiology and Immunology

School of Pharmacy

School of Public Health

Undergraduates

Involvement of Campus Constituents

Groups consulted:

• Dean’s Council

• Chancellor’s Advisory Committee (students)

• Student Government Association

• Faculty Executive Committee

• Academic support services staff (advising, retention, counseling)

• Provost’s senior staff

• College of Arts and Sciences Administration

• College of Arts and Sciences Chairs

• SACS Leadership Team

• QEP Town Hall Meeting (March 17th)

• Study Abroad Office

• CreatorSpace Network

Proposed High Impact Practices – “Transformative Experiences”

• Study abroad

• High structure/active learning (e.g., flipped classes, studio classes)

• Undergraduate research

• Internships/capstone projects

• Graduate students serving as research and teaching assistants in classroom

• Entrepreneurship opportunities

• Maker Spaces

• Dedicated interdisciplinary courses & experiences

• Inclusion: Under-represented communities

• First Year seminars

• Learning communities

• Co-curricular transcripts

• Coordinated leadership program

• Service learning

High-Structure Active Learning Courses

• Expand large lecture classes in the sciences using active learning techniques that have shown to be effective at closing the achievement gap for underrepresented minorities and first-generation students.

• Redesign course-based laboratory experiences to include more inquiry and CURE (Course Undergraduate Research Experiences). Active learning in a large lecture Biology class

Biology 101

These model predictions use student data for males in same term (Spring), with a combined SAT math and reading score of 1257 (the mean score across the 6 terms).

No longer an achievement gapRepresents “halving of achievement gap

~24% of student are first generation ~14% of students are black

Research Exposure Opportunities

• Provide more opportunities for research experiences that provide course credit.

• Faculty mentored/directed research • Industry-sponsored internships• Study abroad

• Expand Carolina Research Scholars Learning Communities.

• Stimulate innovations in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math (STEAM).

Fluids Lab experiment in Chapman Hall

Integrated First-Year Seminars

• Increase first-year seminars that incorporate a STEAM theme.

• Provide opportunities for professional school faculty to teach first-year seminars.

• Create a science writing seminar.

• Develop CreatorSpace/Maker Space courses. First-year seminar “Math, Art and the Human

Experience”

Study Abroad Opportunities

• Science majors are less likely to travel abroad than other groups due to curricular demands.

• Increase opportunities for students to take science courses abroad.

• Increase opportunities for students to conduct research abroad.

Geology students studying in Chile

Innovation & Entrepreneurship Opportunities

• Create opportunities to merge sciences with arts, humanities and social sciences.

• Develop an Entrepreneur in Residence Program.

• Use UNC campus CreatorSpaces to generate new ideas

• Leverage local launch incubators such as 1789 Venture Lab.

BME student using 3-D printer to create a prosthetic hand

Overarching Goals of our QEP:Improving student success in the sciences…here and beyond

• Our QEP aims to equip our students with the ability to apply science skills and knowledge to better solve real-world problems in the face of changing societal contexts.

• We aim to foster awareness of what is currently missing from our curricular and extracurricular offerings to students, and to fill this void.

• We aim to identify what achievements are possible with evidence-based teaching methods focused on high structure and active learning both inside and outside the classroom.

CREATE. Engage. Bridge. CUREEnsuring students thrive in science learning

QUALITY ENHANCEMENT PLAN (QEP) FOR IMPROVING LEARNING IN THE SCIENCES

Leslie Parise, Professor and Chair, School of MedicineKevin Guskiewicz, Senior Associate Dean, Natural Sciences, College of Arts & Sciences

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