SPARC – Strengthening Physics Achievement via Research and Collaboration
SPARC’s overarching goal is to improve undergraduate student outcomes in a calculus-based General Physics I (PHY 210) course, and thus better prepare them for subsequent science and engineering curricula. The SPARC objectives are to:
- improve the general physics curriculum through development of a novel pedagogic approach, DP, which emphasizes inquiry-based science, research-based, collaborative, and game-based learning strategies;
- implement the DP curriculum in our gateway PHY 210;
- engage students in authentic research via CURE with opportunity to participate in summer REU –Research Experiences for Undergraduates at other institutions; and
- test the impact of the novel DP curriculumthrougharigorousevaluation and research plans. Our expected outcomes include higher PHY 210 completion and pass rates (from 50% to 70%)
SPARC Story
SPARC will improve STEM education by focusing on methods that facilitate deep learning of content and transferable reasoning abilities in students enrolled in a General Physics class that is required of all STEM students at Hostos Community College (HCC) of The City University of New York (CUNY). SPARC is designed to not only have a significant impact on pass and retention rates for those enrolled in the course but is to also have a positive effect on every STEM major at HCC. Our proposed “Doing Physics” (DP) learning intervention is designed to improve the current gateway General Physics (PHY 210) curriculum where poor performance often jeopardizes students’ goal of earning al STEM degree at HCC, and their intention to pursue a STEM career. DP is a novel curriculum strategy that emphasizes problem-solving, scientific and transferable reasoning, and collaborative skills. It employs inquiry-based science, Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs), mentored research, and collaborative and game-based learning strategies. SPARC will serve as a bridge to increase number and diversity of students pursuing, persisting, and being credentialed in STEM disciplines.
SPARC Structure
Six learning communities of PHY 210 (150 students total) will be formed during the SPARC three-year funding period. We will test the efficacy of SPARC within Socio-Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) framework. A mixed-method approach will be used to evaluate SPARC’s implementation, progress in relation to the developmental objectives, institutional impact, alignment with the IUSE program, and its impact on students’ academic performance, retention (institutional and within STEM disciplines), and post-graduate outcomes relative to their non-participant peer.
This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Award No. 2121240. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.
