An examination of the impact of a first year experience course on STEM persistence

A review of STEM literature indicates that increased attention is being paid to STEM initiatives particularly with K-12 teachers and programs designed to foster interest in STEM fields at the secondary education level, both of which feed the STEM pipeline. The President of the United States, Barack Obama, Presidents of Higher Education Institutions, and an increased global awareness of the shortfall of workers in the STEM pipeline are driving the increased attention. Recognition that an inability to meet STEM workforce demands may jeopardize the position of the United States as a world leader is significant. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of a first year experience course, Biology 115: First Year Seminar, specifically with regards to academic performance and retention, and to evaluate how the impact changes when course instruction was delivered in a 16-week versus an 8-week model. Three sample groups (N = 596) consisting of first time college freshmen declared as biology majors from 2005-2012 at the University of Missouri-Kansas City were selected for participation. Data was collected from student's high school and college transcripts and college applications by the Office of Institutional Research. A three phase analysis including descriptive statistics and t-tests, principle component analysis, and binary logistic regression were performed using a hierarchical model informed by Alexander Astins' Input-Environment-Output model. The majority of students were female, residents of the State of Missouri, and White. Analysis results indicated that students enrolled in the Biology 115 course earned higher grade point averages, were in better academic standing, and were retained at a higher level than the control group. Additionally, students enrolled in the course in the 8-Week model earned higher grade point averages and had higher retention from Year 1 to Year 2 and retention as biology majors over the 16-week model.