BASE Project Activities
The proposed BASE project aims to better prepare selected first-time freshman and transfer STEM students who are not college ready by fostering metacognitive skills through student-centered teaching and learning strategies. These strategies build upon students' prior knowledge, experiences, and learning preferences to make learning more relevant, engaging, and effective. Previous studies have shown that student centered instructional approaches can increase engagement, critical thinking, problem-solving abilities, academic confidence, and persistence. This approach focuses on three main components: (1) strengthening students' learning skills, intellectual growth, and critical thinking; (2) building academic confidence and self-efficacy; and (3) developing students' ability to identify, analyze, and solve complex real-world problems. To achieve these goals, the project will implement evidence-based instructional practices such as collaborative learning activities, problem-based learning scenarios, opportunities for students to connect course concepts to prior experiences, family engagement initiatives that strengthen student support networks, and cooperative learning groups.
- Clarity on how the instructional approach might be tailored to various student populations, including those discussed in the Project Description.
The BASE leadership team will tailor instructional support to first-time freshman and transfer STEM students who are not college ready, with the goal of increasing retention, academic success, and graduation rates. TAMIU enrolls both traditional and non-traditional undergraduate students of whom 65% are low-income, 51.3% are first-generation college students, 62.6 % identify as part-time college female students, 37.4% are part-time college male students, and an average of 4% are international students. Thirty participants will be recruited through applications, surveys, and interviews giving the BASE team an opportunity to get to know each student: specifically, their personal goals, learning styles, and challenges. Students will be placed into a learning community of practice supported by mathematics and science faculty who will themselves participate in professional development on student centured teaching practices to nurture students’ aspirations via participation in mentoring and metacognitive strategies using the participants’ academic support activities. The project will encourage students to draw upon their prior experiences, existing knowledge, and personal strengths as they navigate the transition to college-level STEM studies. Examples may include connecting new concepts to previous coursework, personal experiences, family experiences, or practical problem-solving situations.
- Faculty preparation to utilize student centured approaches in their courses across the project.
The Project leadership team will holistically assess students by implementing the Mathematics Resilience Scale (MRS) to determine their math and science self-efficacy and the Metacognitive Awareness Skills Inventory (Flavell, 1979) to create personalized college success plans focused on building their mathematics and science readiness. The results of both, plus data on students’ sense of belonging to the university community via an open-ended questionnaire and focus group meetings, will be collected and analyzed. The resulting information will inform professional development sessions for faculty teaching participating students. Development activities include:
i) Informal mentoring support through a TAMIU STEM faculty advisory group: experienced STEM faculty will meet with the faculty involved in the BASE project to identify TAMIU-specific problems in first-time freshman and transfer STEM students.
