Biological Sciences – STEM Transformation Institute, Florida International University

Exploring how STEM courses influence student success

Educational environments interact with STEM students’ motivations and previous experiences to drive their success or attrition in our classes. In this seminar, I will present three case studies each on a different aspect of the educational environment.  The first explores the connection between course structures, i.e. implementation of an active learning strategy, and student performance.  The second explores how relationships in the classroom can be important for engagement in this active learning.  The third case study focuses on classroom content. Specifically, the impact of how instructors present content that relates to students’ personal lives.  This case study focuses on trans and genderqueer students in biology classrooms during discussions of sex and gender. Finally, will discuss practical recommendations for instructors based on these three studies.