Discipline: Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences
Subcategory: Social Sciences/Psychology/Economics
Kendra Mills - Bennett College
Co-Author(s): Michelle Linster, Bennett College, North Carolina ; Mark Ferguson, Bennett College, North Carolina ; Sheana Sherin, Bennett College, North Carolina; Aaleah Lancaster Bennett College, North Carolina
Studies (Webber, Krylow, & Zhang, 2013) have shown that students’ curricular and co-curricular involvement is positively correlated to their academic success. Students with higher GPAs were more likely to be active in co-curricular academic activities, such as preparing for class, interactions with faculty, and discussions with peers regarding class materials, than students with lower GPAs. Given the positive relationship between GPA and co-curricular academic activities, this study examined the relationship between STEM students’ engagement in tutoring (a co-curricular activity) and their academic success as measured by their overall GPA.
Specifically, this study investigated the relationship between underrepresented minority (URM) female students’ level of participation in mandatory tutoring in a STEM course. During fall semester 2017, students with a mid-term grade of D or below, in STEM biology, chemistry, computer science, mathematics, and physics, were identified by their classroom instructors. Students were notified via letter that they had been referred for tutoring. Students notified were assigned an ID number for the study to insure confidentiality. Data on students’ participation in tutoring was collected from the Office of Academic Support Services and Student Success (OASSS) and linked to their overall GPAs. Using a frequency count we tabulated the number of times a student (via study ID) appeared in tutoring.
The results of the study indicated that there is a positive relationship between STEM students’ participation in tutoring and their overall GPAs up to a certain point. We found that STEM students with overall GPAs of < 1.5 and > 3.5 were less likely to engage in tutoring.
I have been involved with the NSF/HBCU-UP/BPR project since Fall 2017.
Given the small number of students involved in this study, future research with a larger student population is warranted. Additional research should examine the impact of students’ motivation, perceived faculty support, and satisfaction with their major on their use of the academic support services and academic success.
Funder Acknowledgement(s): NSF
Faculty Advisor: Michelle Linster, mlinster@bennett.edu
Role: Assisting in the design, execution and evaluation of research projects, including literature reviews, surveys, data integration and analysis. Assist in analyzing data in SPSS and/or SAS statistical packages. Managing data collection projects by meeting paper and electronic mailing deadlines, entering data, transcribing tapes and handwritten notes; learn and use technology to do these tasks more efficiently. Assist PI and Research Associate in design and maintenance of online surveys and preparation of print documents.