Raising interest in STEM education: A research-based learning framework

Abstract

Despite efforts of the past three decades, participation of under represented minority groups is still an issue in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines. In this context, a program between the Community College of Philadelphia and Drexel University to provide research experience to minority students was implemented based on the hypothesis that learning about science and engineering is more effective if it is paired with the challenge of independent research in a specifically collaborative "micro-environment", as for example in active research laboratories. Six minority undergraduate students (three male, three female) were selected from a pool of twenty applicants. Each student independently selected a Drexel faculty advisor and corresponding research group best aligned to their interests within the first two weeks of ten-week program. From the outset, library integration underpinned the program. To this aim, students were personally introduced to key library professionals and digital library search tools and databases were immediately employed to review at least three relevant journal articles to their research foci, which assisted to form the basis for independent research proposals. By week four, students presented research plans before a panel of faculty and student judges. In order to complete the program, each student produced final deliverables - an oral presentation, technical poster and paper describing their work Students demonstrated familiarity with basic research methods and universally reported increased interest in STEM education and careers, with many continuing to work in their labs beyond the program's formal duration. The work presented herein represents a research-based active learning model for strong faculty-librarian partnerships fostering STEM research and education.