The University of Arizona is one of only eight universities in the nation that was awarded a grant from the Association of American Universities (AAU)
to improve undergraduate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. The UA AAU Undergraduate STEM Education Project has three primary goals: 1.) Redesign courses in five disciplines to include more evidence-based strategies, 2.) Shift the culture at UA toward greater emphasis on collaborative active-learning pedagogies, and 3.) Explore and develop Collaborative Learning Spaces (CLS).
Transforming Undergraduate STEM Education
The UA AAU STEM Education Project provided thousands of science and engineering majors at the University of Arizona with solid understanding in core STEM disciplines. Thus, the project started with redesigning three foundational science courses (general chemistry, introductory biology, and introductory physics/mechanics) and two introductory engineering courses (elements of chemical engineering II and computer programming for engineering applications). The course redesign entailed using student-centered and active learning pedagogy to enhance discipline knowledge and conceptual understandings. Three common themes that cut across all redesign efforts included:
- promotion of information and quantitative literacy,
- use of real-life applications in problem solving, and
- use of models to develop conceptual understanding.
The topics covered in the courses were critically examined to emphasize core disciplinary ideas, problem-solving abilities, critical thinking, and teamwork, to ensure that students were provided with a solid foundational understanding.
Principal Investigators
| NAME | TITLE | |
|---|---|---|
| Gail D. Burd, Ph.D. | Senior Vice Provost for Academic Affairs, Teaching & Learning | gburd@arizona.edu |
| Vicente Talanquer, Ph.D. | University Distinguished Professor of Chemistry & Biochemistry | vicente@email.arizona.edu |
| Lisa Elfring, Ph.D. | Assistant Vice Provost for Instruction & Assessment | elfring@email.arizona.edu |
| Deb Tomanek, Ph.D. | Professor Emerita of Molecular & Cellular Biology | dtomanek@email.arizona.edu |
News & Videos about the UA AAU STEM Project
2016 | STEM Programs Prepare Undergraduates for Careers in the Real World
2014 | Redesigned Chemistry Course Influencing Future of STEM Education
2014 | Teaching Students How to Think
2014 | UA Paves Way to Redefine STEM Education
2013 | UA One of Only Eight Institutions Selected for Nationwide STEM Initiative
2013 | UA One of Only Eight Institutions Selected for Nationwide STEM Initiative