Discipline: Science and Mathematics Education
Subcategory: Social Sciences/Psychology/Economics
Session: 3
Room: Exhibit Hall A
Lapresha Nichelle Whitfield - Bennett College
Co-Author(s): Kendra Mills, Shenna M. Shearin, PhD., Michelle Linster, PhD, Michael J. Cotton, PhD., and Mark Ferguson, Bennett College, Greensboro, NC
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) retention remains a major concern in higher education, especially at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) such as Bennett College. To gain a more accurate account of the influences that impact students’ persistence in STEM programs, a longitudinal study has been designed to assess the effects of tutoring on the retention rates of 164 underrepresented minority (URM) female STEM majors over the course of 5 full semesters (Fall 2016, Spring 2017, Fall 2017, Spring 2018, Fall 2018) as measured by midterm and final grades as well as by GPAs and graduation rates. Students that earned a grade of D or below in lower division level STEM courses including biology, chemistry, computer science, mathematics, and physics were identified by their instructors followed by a referral letter. Each student was requested to attend weekly tutoring sessions. Students that were notified were assigned an ID number for the study to ensure confidentiality. Participation data was collected, analyzed, and correlated with students’ final grades and overall GPAs. The results of this study indicate that students who attended regular tutoring sessions showed improvement in their final grades and cumulative GPAs. Our findings also suggest that there is a positive correlation between the impact of tutoring on STEM graduation rates
Funder Acknowledgement(s): National Science Foundation
Faculty Advisor: Michael Cotton, mcotton@bennett.edu
Role: In this research I concentrated on evaluating the effects of tutoring and supplemental instructors in an effort to enhance STEM retention. I utilized excel and R programming to analyze students participating in tutoring services and correlated students' midterm, final grades, and overall GPAs.