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About the STEM Learning Center

Our goal is to address critical national, state, and local needs for a more STEM-educated workforce and citizenry.

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Promoting and enhancing STEM learning

Vision

The STEM Learning Center works to create a campus environment that promotes and enhances teaching and learning in the STEM disciplines and supports all initiatives that facilitate that vision, with an emphasis on activities that increase diversity and inclusion in the STEM disciplines.

Mission

The STEM Learning Center strives to promote and enhance teaching and learning in the STEM disciplines and increase recruitment and retention of students from underserved populations in the STEM disciplines. That mission is achieved through initiatives such as pedagogical and curricular enhancement, optimal use of the Duff Center facilities, educational research, faculty development and reward structures, community outreach, K-12 teacher education, and fundraising.

 

Innovations in STEM

Goals and Objectives

Fostering interest and proficiency in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields among students of all ages. 

Objectives

  • Collaborate with the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning to facilitate workshops for faculty and students on pedagogy, assessment, and active learning.
  • Increase faculty familiarity with evidence-based STEM teaching strategies.
  • Facilitate dialogue on required courses and degree pathways.
  • Optimize use of the Duff Center facilities, liaising with the building manager and STEM laboratory group.
  • Conduct research on teaching effectiveness and learning outcomes.
  • Increase passing rates in STEM gateway courses.
  • Increase the number of students majoring in STEM fields and completing STEM degrees.
  • Develop interdisciplinary courses.
  • Increase opportunities for undergraduate research in the STEM disciplines.
  • Collaborate on pedagogical training of graduate teaching assistants.
  • Create an internal pedagogy advisory group to include faculty and students.
  • Hire an associate director with broad expertise in pedagogy and learning.

Objectives 

  • Target K-12 outreach to schools serving underserved populations.
  • Collaborate with other campus units to provide pre-college bridge programs in critical STEM subjects.
  • Collaborate with community colleges and UM STEM departments on transfer pathways.
  • Facilitate mentor training and mentoring programs for STEM majors.
  • Collaborate with other campus units on services for first-generation and financially needy students.
  • Collaborate with the School of Education on the recruitment and training of K-12 STEM teachers.

Objectives

3.1 Collaborate with other campus units to assist with after-school and summer programs for K-12 students.

3.2 Collaborate with community colleges on STEM student recruitment.

3.3 Facilitate tours of the Duff Center.

3.4 Create and maintain visual and interactive artifacts throughout the Duff Center.

3.5 Host seminars and facilitate dialogue on faculty reward systems for Engaged Scholarship.

3.6 Seek donors to support community engagement.

3.7 Develop and maintain an informative and engaging website and social media presence.

3.8 Supplement website with interactive online STEM learning and publicity modules.

3.9 Create an external advisory board to include business and K-12 interests.

3.10 Hire an associate director/coordinator with expertise in community engagement.

Objectives

  • Collaborate with the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning to facilitate workshops for faculty and students on pedagogy, assessment, and active learning.
  • Host weekly seminars on STEM learning topics.
  • Create STEM Learning Network.
  • Create STEM Learning Fellows program.
  • Facilitate dialogue on faculty reward systems.
  • Create an internal faculty advisory board.

Objectives

  • Collaborate with the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs to facilitate workshops on grant writing.
  • Provide mentorship on grant writing.
  • Collaborate with grant writers on developing broader impacts for proposals.
  • Collaborate with the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs on deadlines, budgets, and faculty assistance.
  • Develop relationships with external donors.
  • Hire program coordinator/grant writer.