Navigating STEM Pathways: Two-Year College Student’s Persistence in STEM After Completing an Introductory Calculus Course

• In Event: STEM Education Pathways for Student Success

Abstract

Introductory calculus courses are often prerequisites for a STEM major; however, they are also commonly called “weed out” courses. This mixed methodological study examines two-year college students’ persistence through STEM after completing an introductory calculus course which centered asset-based pedagogical approaches. Pre-/post-surveys were used to assess student intent to persist to a four-year institution and into another STEM course at the two-year college. Field notes from classroom observations were used to contextualize the survey data gathered. Findings suggest there was a statistically significant increase in the number of students interested in transferring to a four-year institution, indicating that asset-based pedagogical approaches can challenge the notion of a “weed out” class and instead encourage student persistence in STEM.

Authors

• Talia Kessler, Georgia State University

• Jennifer R. Esposito, Georgia State University