LEARNING COMMUNITIES & COHORT BUILDING 2014 NSF STEP MEETING Strategies for building community among students, and the impact of those strategies on STEM retention. Discussion topics include strategies aimed at critical transition points where attrition or low academic performance is known to be high for certain groups (e.g., entering freshman, community college transfers, transition to upper division core, underrepresented engineering students).

STEP TO SUCCESS In 2012 WVSU received a $500,000 award from the NSF for the STEP (STEM Talent Expansion Program) to increase enrollment and retention in STEM (Science Technology, Engineering and Math) programs. This grant allows us to develop a summer bridge program and The Supplemental Instruction Program to improve math skills for STEM students, create a student instructor program, train faculty to be recruiters to our area high schools to attract science and math students, and increase student participation in directed student research projects just to name a few the major efforts of this program.

SUPPLEMENTAL INSTRUCTION (SI) SI is an academic support program utilizing peer-assisted study sessions to enhance student performance and retention. SI was first developed by Deanna Martin, Ph.D. at the University of Missouri at Kansas City in We offer a series of weekly review sessions providing an opportunity to discuss concepts, develop study strategies facilitated by a SI leader.

Target group Students in STEM gateway courses, College Algebra, General Physics and General Chemistry. Goals Students will develop a better understanding of course content as well as more effective ways of studying. Program In consultation with students, the SI leader arranges two hours a week SI sessions for the class.

Successes  We offered SI for 5 courses in Fall 2013  Total contact hours = 331  61% of SI participants received a final grade of C or higher compared to 50% of non-participants  79% of students rated their SI leaders and SI sessions as very helpful

Strategies  Building Learning Community  The SI leader Serves as a Model student  Faculty Support the Program  Social Media

SUPPLEMENTAL INSTRUCTION (SI) Obstacles  SI session Attendance  Qualified SI Leaders  Faculty Support  Facilities

Learning Communities

West Virginia State University is a historically black university, which has evolved into a fully accessible, racially diverse, and multi-generational institution offering baccalaureate, associate, and graduate degrees. The suburban University is located in Institute, West Virginia, eight miles from downtown Charleston.

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