Author: Marcy Dubroff

R. Drew Sieg, Truman State University

Joanna K. Hubbard, Truman State University

Rachel M. Penczykowski, Washington University in St. Louis

Madison Williard, Truman State University

Zachary A. Dwyer, Truman State University

Abstract

Providing safe access to functional field experiences during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic was a distinct challenge. However, these experiences are critical to train students in ecological methods and provide an opportunity for open-ended, authentic research. Here, we report on a multi-week lab designed for an introductory ecology course, which was adapted for hybrid instruction during the pandemic. In the lab sequence, students independently surveyed basic phenological, population, and community dynamics of easily identifiable, cosmopolitan plant species in the genus Plantago. Students used this crowd-sourced dataset to develop, analyze, and report on unique research questions regarding interactions between Plantago and the local environment. The new lab sequence effectively met course learning objectives in experimental design, field methods, statistics, and science communication, while being accessible to both in-person and online learners. We conclude by discussing the evolution of this design for other audiences.

Introduction

Course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) promote early and expanded student engagement in scientific research that improves science literacy, analytical skills, and inclusivity within STEM majors (e.g., Bangera & Brownell, 2014; Olimpo et al., 2018). Incorporating academic research interests and novel pedagogies benefits both student and faculty development (Shortlidge et al., 2016). However, the transition to online education during the COVID-19 pandemic posed many challenges to the implementation of such lab experiences (Tsang et al., 2021). 

Institutions adopted myriad strategies for course delivery early in the pandemic, including distanced labs, hybrid formats, and asynchronous learning. Purely online simulations or recordings of experiments did not maintain student engagement and led to a superficial understanding of lab methodology or purpose (Sansom, 2020). Several methods to promote active participation in remote labs were later adopted, including computer simulations and ecological field research (Abriata, 2022; Creech & Shriner 2020), although it was important to ensure equal accessibility for all students using hands-on modalities (Jawad et al., 2021; Kelley, 2020). These rapid shifts to new modalities and implementation of new technologies induced anxiety and revealed inequity among students (Tsang et al., 2021). Feelings of isolation were common, making it difficult for students to establish a routine and remain motivated from home (Feldman, 2020). The pandemic also triggered emotional stressors caused by direct illness, grief, financial instability, and loneliness and led to physical and mental health issues including disordered eating and depression (Flaudias et al., 2020; Mushquash & Grassia, 2020). Within a semester of teaching during COVID-19, it became clear that pedagogical modalities should acknowledge and accommodate evolving student needs.

Independent field experiences using cosmopolitan organisms are one option to combat accessibility and equity issues associated with remote learning. Organisms that are easy to find and identify can be used by students to crowd-source data collection, address ecological research questions, and connect to their local community (Penczykowski & Sieg, 2021). Having students or community members assist in the collection of observational data can generate robust datasets while promoting bioliteracy and data management skills in participants (Hitchcock et al., 2021; Jones et al., 2021; Putman et al., 2021). Hands-on exposure also tackles “plant awareness disparity” and “biodiversity naivety” problems (Niemiller et al., 2021; Parsley, 2020; Wandersee & Schussler, 1999), whereby students fail to recognize the identities or functions of floral and faunal community members (Schuttler et al., 2018; Soga & Gaston, 2016). Engaging in field work may also lead to greater student retention or interest in ecological careers.

In approaching our first hybrid academic year (2020-2021), we recognized that traditional labs would be rendered non-functional due to social distancing procedures, safety concerns, and unpredictable attendance. Many labs were reconfigured or condensed to accommodate these challenges, but we wanted to maintain a field experience despite the challenges with hybrid instruction. We elected to build a new experience based on an accessible plant genus (Plantago spp.) that could be observed by both in-person and remote students while promoting skills in experimental design, data management, statistics, and science communication. In this report, we outline the pilot project and preliminary outcomes, discuss its limitations within our changing institutional curriculum, and describe how the fundamentals of this project have led to “second-generation” projects for other audiences on campus.

Methodology

The Institution and Course

Truman State University is a rural public liberal arts university of under 4,000 undergraduate students located in Kirksville, MO. During this study (2020), Truman State had a 72% acceptance rate, the gender identity at Truman was 40:60 identifying male:female, and approximately 80% were white, in-state, and received financial aid. Truman has a long-standing reputation in the Midwest as an affordable, quality public college option. As at many universities across the United States, enrollment has been steadily declining at Truman; undergraduate enrollment is down approximately 35% in the past five years. Biology is a consistently popular major that accounts for 12% of incoming freshmen, but enrollment has declined more than 50% since 2017. Recently, the Biology department implemented a new curriculum for the major. Biology majors who started before fall 2019 were required to take Introduction to Ecology (BIOL 301); after the curriculum change, BIOL 301 was one of four organismal biology course options. With many Truman students pursuing careers in medicine or healthcare, microbiology has proven more popular than ecology or the other two organismal courses (evolutionary biology and eukaryotic diversity). Since the new curriculum has been implemented, student demand for ecology has steadily decreased from six 24-seat sections per year in 2017 to a single section in 2022.

Course Structure Amidst the Pandemic

At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Truman transitioned to a fully remote modality to conclude the spring 2020 semester. During the 2020–2021 academic year, faculty could select from several delivery options, including fully asynchronous, online, or hybrid instruction. Four hybrid sections of BIOL 301 were offered during fall 2020, with two asynchronous recorded lectures and one synchronous Zoom activity per week. Lab sections were split into three groups (two in-person sections, one virtual) that each met for 50 minutes of the nearly three-hour period to accommodate social distancing. Excluding the new Plantago project, labs were modified from established protocols used in previous semesters.

Course instructors (Drew Sieg and Joanna Hubbard, hereafter RDS and JKH) collaborated extensively to develop materials for this model; they restructured the learning management system, co-developed asynchronous recorded lectures and lecture activities, and held weekly meetings to discuss how the hybrid course was supporting student success and wellness. A full comparison of course changes to accommodate a hybrid delivery are listed in Table 1. Pre- and post-surveys evaluating student skills in science communication, statistics, and graphical interpretation were issued, but IRB approval was not established until after implementation of this project. Thus, evaluative feedback on this study is limited to voluntary course evaluations administered for all Truman courses and reflects the pedagogy of the course as a whole, rather than just the new lab experience. As both instructors taught sections in 2019 and 2020, comparisons between years were made to evaluate changes in student perceptions due to both COVID-19 and the intervention.

Experimental Study System

In pre-COVID semesters, BIOL 301 students would survey water quality and macroinvertebrate diversity from local streams to acquire field experience (modified from Doherty et al., 2011). Sampling sites were located up to 30 minutes from campus, which required university transportation and longer lab periods, neither of which were feasible using a hybrid model. For the new field experience, we expanded on a survey protocol for Plantago lanceolata and P. rugelii used by Rachel Penczykowski (RMP) to train students in the Tyson Undergraduate Fellows program at Washington University in St. Louis. Plantago are short-lived perennials commonly found in human-disturbed habitats, including lawns, parks, paths, and pastures. The geographic distributions of these species span gradients in latitude, elevation, urbanization, and other environmental factors. They are easy to find and identify, are regionally abundant, of low conservation concern, and extremely accessible (Penczykowski & Sieg, 2021). They are suitable for addressing research questions at the population or community level, due to their distinct phenological stages and easily recognizable evidence of interactions with both herbivores and fungal pathogens (Penczykowski & Sieg, 2021).

Project Outline

Three labs interspersed throughout the semester were developed to encompass the Plantago field experience. In addition to the instructional goal of providing an effective hybrid learning experience, student outcomes from the experience included the ability to 

quantify the abundance and status of local plants to combat plant awareness disparity, 

develop novel research questions regarding local variation in Plantago dynamics, and 

analyze data, address challenges with crowd-sourcing data, and practice visual science communication. 

Activities and assessments for each lab session are summarized below and in Table 2.

Lab 1: Introducing the Study System and Tackling Plant Awareness Disparity

The first lab established the utility of Plantago as a model organism for ecological research. Students watched a 13-minute recorded video by RMP discussing how the species can be used to address questions at multiple spatial scales across varying environment types. Connections to climate change and urban development were stressed, along with the use of cosmopolitan Plantago species in global collaborations including PlantPopNet and HerbVar. This video also emphasized the value of community science engagement and collaborative research across universities.

Following the video, students were trained to identify focal species, their flowering status, types of herbivory damage, and evidence of infection by a fungal pathogen (powdery mildew). These skills were practiced as a group for in-person students, followed by an individual homework assignment. Remote students participated in the training, but practiced individually. Example images were provided via PowerPoint, so that students could participate in synchronous group work in person or via Zoom. Groups also brainstormed research questions and hypotheses, generally focusing on variation in herbivory or infection between species or survey locations.

Lab 2: Field Surveys

After completing a series of guided online tutorials and discussing a paper on common issues in data management (Broman & Woo, 2018), each student independently conducted a field survey of P. lanceolata and P. rugelii using a modified line transect protocol. Students identified a local site containing both Plantago species, noted environmental conditions, and then recorded observations regarding flowering phenology, neighbor density, and evidence of community interactions for a single Plantago individual (summarized in Table 3). Students advanced 2 m to another individual Plantago and repeated the process a total of 30 times for each focal species. 

Students could complete surveys at any accessible site in their vicinity on their own schedule within a one-week window. Most surveys were conducted in parks or neighborhoods in Kirksville, but remote students provided data from across Missouri. Students recorded data on a data collection sheet provided by the instructor, entered handwritten data into a spreadsheet, and uploaded the file as a homework assignment. A teaching assistant compiled each unedited dataset into a master “crowd-sourced” spreadsheet for use in lab 3.

Lab 3: Experimental Design, Analysis, and Reporting

For the final lab activity, students accessed the master spreadsheet and worked in teams either in person or via Zoom to analyze their research questions. Tutorials on statistics were provided, and each group framed questions as testable hypotheses with their instructor prior to analysis. Groups worked over two weeks to organize their data set, conduct analyses, and synthesize their findings into a graphical abstract. A major component of this assignment was recognizing the amount of time and effort associated with organizing large datasets.

Graphical abstracts were a novel concept for most students. Therefore, the class initially evaluated examples from scientific journals and discussed their use in comparison to written abstracts. Instructors then provided a tutorial on building graphical abstracts in PowerPoint. Student products were posted to Padlet (padlet.com), which allowed students to asynchronously provide and receive feedback on their research questions, analyses, and abstract designs. In practice, most products took on a form resembling a research poster, probably because students had greater familiarity with that medium and a fear of leaving information out.

Results and Discussion

Novel Research Outcomes from the Lab Activity

Via this lab activity, 3360 plants were surveyed by 55 students, primarily in Kirksville. A map displaying Plantago distributions in the city was generated from these data (Figure 1), which has subsequently been used by independent research students to conduct follow-up studies on Plantago community dynamics. Survey locations were clustered around Truman State, as it is primarily a residential campus. The majority of student-generated questions and hypotheses focused on comparisons of herbivory and/or fungal infection across plant species, sunny vs. shaded microhabitats, or location types (e.g., roadsides vs. parks). Primary findings included a significantly higher likelihood of infection on P. rugelii than P. lanceolata, particularly in shaded habitats, while infection frequency was not affected by mowing or herbivory.  Undergraduate research students (Madison Williard and Zachary Dwyer) working with RDS independently evaluated the dataset and confirmed these patterns, presenting their research at Truman State’s Student Research Conference (Dwyer et al., 2021).  

Due to restrictions on social gatherings, students in the course did not disseminate their findings in the broader Kirksville community. However, this pilot study demonstrated that data collection within the Plantago system is tractable for novices. Elements of this project have been incorporated into submitted research proposals that incorporate community science, public outreach, and civic engagement as broader impact objectives (RDS & RMP, personal communication).

Student Responses to the Course

Beyond the Plantago project, other activities were implemented to promote an active classroom amidst a hybrid redesign. These included weekly interactive case studies using Zoom and Google Docs, a semester-long “EcoPhoto” project on Flickr to document local ecological interactions, discussion board prompts that pushed students to reflect on their wellness or creatively discuss course concepts (such as a knockoff of “Dear Abby” called “Dear Ecology”), a month-long lab that used EPA datasets to estimate water quality in wadable streams (modified from Nuding & Hampton, 2012), and team-based problem sets instead of virtually proctored traditional exams. We communicated with students through consistently formatted weekly announcements on our course management software and email, aiming to keep students on track without bombarding them with disparate notices. Collectively, these activities made our redesign distinct from previous versions of BIOL 301, but also from other hybrid courses at Truman.

Evaluative Likert-scale data and representative free responses reported in Table 4 pertain to the fall 2020 hybrid course redesign, including the Plantago CURE. While some outcomes are likely driven by the Plantago experience, we acknowledge that other elements of our redesign influenced student perceptions of the course. Total responses to the course survey (n=48) represent approximately 85% of the class. Since submissions were anonymous, we cannot directly compare different demographic responses to the redesign, but we can assume that the makeup of students roughly matches that of Truman State as described in the methodology section.

Students valued the applicability of the course, with more than 97% of respondents agreeing that the course related concepts to real-world issues or everyday life (Table 4). Informally, students noted that they found themselves spotting Plantago between classes, and felt a sense of pride that they could better identify the plants around them. Extended engagement and sense of familiarity with focal plants is a key component to combat plant awareness disparity (Krosnick et al., 2018; Niemiller et al., 2021); thus this new lab experience appears to have promoted greater bioliteracy and plant awareness.

The general organization, approach, and transparency regarding expectations in BIOL 301 was viewed by students as exemplary in comparison to other courses that transitioned to hybrid instruction (Table 4). Whether the new approach led to long-term positive feelings about ecology is less clear, as 29% of respondents indicated that they would not want to take additional ecology courses (Table 4). This may be a product of the hybrid design: students viewed asynchronous assignments (quizzes, readings, discussion boards) as busy work. Hybrid courses require a distinct mindset from both the instructor and the student in order to be effective (Shea et al., 2015), and most of our students took hybrid courses out of necessity rather than desire. Animosity towards materials used to maintain asynchronous engagement makes sense considering the rapid transition to online modalities. However, lessons learned from similar experiences are leading to new evaluations of best practices in hybrid or online instruction in a post-COVID era (e.g., Singh et al., 2021).

Using course evaluations, we also statistically compared student responses to these questions in fall 2019 (the pre-pandemic version of the Plantago project) and fall 2020 (during the pandemic, with the hybrid changes described in this study; Table 5). However, there are extrinsic factors that should be accounted for, such as general stress and COVID fatigue, which make direct comparisons between these two student populations tenuous. 

For three of four questions, no significant difference between semesters was seen (Table 5), suggesting that students perceived equal course rigor and relevance with the traditional in-person delivery and hybrid instruction. It is encouraging that objectives related to real-world application of ecology were maintained in the hybrid delivery, despite the new format and disruptions to instruction during the pandemic. We also take this to mean that the course structure and activities were seen as equivalent to a non-disrupted semester by upper division students who had taken college courses both before and during the pandemic.

In contrast, there was a significant increase in student willingness to take other courses in ecology (Table 5, p=0.020). The new lab module, coupled with accommodations made for hybrid instruction, may have made ecology a more tangible sub-discipline for students relative to the traditional mechanism of instruction. As a result, several of the activities used to improve the use of learning management software, communicate with students, and check in on student wellness have been continued by RDS and JKH in other courses, and have been formally presented to other university faculty.

Current and Future Status of the Project

Despite the effort to restructure BIOL 301 as a hybrid course, reduced student enrollment, curricular changes, and interest in the topic remains low, such that the department now offers only a single, in-person section per year. That section is not scheduled to be taught by RDS or JKH in the near future, and thus many changes are not trackable beyond the pilot implementation. The Plantago field experiment continues to be offered by the current BIOL 301 instructor, but a lower number of participants reduces the crowd-sourcing project elements. Since our pilot delivery, the project has been conducted two more times, with minimal changes to the established protocol. The instructor has considered widening the project to tackle other core skills in ecology related to estimating other population dynamics.

We had previously used social media (e.g., Flickr) in observational ecology projects to connect our students with peers enrolled in similar courses across the country (RDS and JKH, personal communication) and intended to build out a similar network with this project that would allow students to compare Plantago demographics across wider urban-rural, latitudinal, climatic, or temporal gradients. While we encourage interested parties to reach out if the modules would fit their course needs, the restructuring of BIOL 301 has limited our ability to further develop broader community engagement aspects of this project. 

We recognized the benefit of using open-ended projects to promote observational and data management skills in students majoring in biology at Truman, and we have since modified the Plantago project for an introductory biology course (BIOL 104) that RDS and JKH regularly teach. Introductory courses are a wise target for open-ended inquiry, as it introduces bioliteracy, statistics, and communication skills needed to succeed academically and in STEM-related careers. Early exposure to authentic research eliminates “cookie-cutter” experiences that do not accurately reflect the challenges associated with research (Wood, 2009), providing students with a better representation of the scientific process. 

In the new introductory biology module, students mine iNaturalist (inaturalist.org) to quantify global images of infection or herbivory on Plantago and address questions that are thematically similar to those emphasized in BIOL 301. The pilot implementation of this version of the project occurred in spring 2022, resulting in 13,700 images processed by 105 students (RDS, personal communication). This new initiative has the potential to be expanded both at Truman and in the wider community and has been a core component of new grant proposals written by RDS and RMP. We intend to build this database annually and embrace iNaturalist as a tool for community science, while tracking student perceptions of effective science communication and assessing challenges associated with community-sourced data (e.g., Dickinson et al., 2010). Ultimately, this introductory version of the Plantago project is likely to be a more impactful initiative than the original pilot project outlined in this manuscript.

Conclusions

The transition to online learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic was difficult for students and faculty alike, and we are now assessing which instructional approaches are most effective. The adjustments we made to maintain an accessible and rigorous field experience were largely successful within a hybrid undergraduate course. The pilot implementation of this project has evolved into a more robust project that targets new biology majors.

About the Authors

Drew Sieg is an assistant professor of biology at Truman State University. He is a SENCER Leadership Fellow whose traditional research examines chemically mediated ecological interactions among plants, fungi, algae, and herbivores. He is also involved in educational research, particularly examining how authentic research experiences and other novel pedagogies affect student engagement in STEM.

Joanna Hubbard is an assistant professor of biology at Truman State University. Her research interests include questions related to animal behavior, animal coloration, and evolutionary ecology in birds. She has conducted education research examining how different question formats provide insight into student misconceptions and understanding.

Rachel M. Penczykowski is an assistant professor of biology at Washington University in St. Louis. Her research focuses on effects of climate change and urbanization on plant-pathogen interactions and food webs. She mentors graduate, undergraduate, and high school students in this work, including through summer field research programs at Washington University’s Tyson Research Center.

Madison Williard is currently a first-year student at Southern College of Optometry located in Memphis, TN. She graduated from Truman State University in 2021 with a BS in biology.

Zachary Dwyer is currently a first-year medical student at A.T. Still University, located in Kirksville, MO. He graduated from Truman State University in 2022 with a BS in biology and a minor in psychology.

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Guang Jin, Department of Health Sciences, Illinois State University 

Thomas Bierma, Department of Health Sciences, Illinois State University 

Abstract

Integrating service learning with undergraduate research, the student biodiesel project converted all waste vegetable oil (WVO) from campus dining centers into a sustainable biofuel used by campus vehicles, allowing half of the campus diesel energy needs to be met by a material (WVO) that was formerly a waste. Biodiesel reduced air pollution from campus diesel vehicles, including the emission of greenhouse gases. This project connected students to their community and increased students’ awareness of the social/economic aspects of environmental challenges in the world around them. Students felt a great sense of responsibility to make a real product that would make a difference in the real world. Students who participated in the research course became teaching assistants for another regular course in which biodiesel production was a component. This allowed biodiesel to be produced sustainably and provided additional students with hands-on bioenergy experience.  Specific challenges and suggestions for future practices are also reported. 

Introduction

Sustainably harnessing biomass and converting it into usable fuels (bioenergy) is a critical part of combating climate change and addressing other environmental problems associated with fossil fuels. The success of bioenergy depends upon well-informed professionals, consumers, and citizens.  Universities play a unique role in addressing climate change and creating a sustainable society through demonstrating best practices, researching solutions to real-world problems, educating future communities and leaders, and promoting sustainability (Brundiers et al., 2010; Bacon et al., 2011; Barth et al., 2014; Ralph & Stubbs, 2014; Evans et al., 2015; Moura et al., 2021). 

Producing biodiesel fuel from campus waste fryer oil offers an outstanding opportunity for bioenergy education and civic engagement through community service.  Biodiesel is a clean-burning, renewable substitute for petroleum diesel that can be manufactured from new and used vegetable oils, animal fats, and waste restaurant grease. Using biodiesel as an alternative petroleum diesel reduces lifecycle carbon emissions (U.S. Department of Energy [US DOE], 2017) and the emission of harmful air pollutants such as asthma-causing soot (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency [US EPA], 2018).  Waste fryer oil retains almost all its energy content even after it is discarded from cooking. Illinois State University (ISU) creates about 6000 gallons per year of waste vegetable oil (WVO) that the university must pay to dispose. If properly treated, this WVO can be used to make biodiesel.  Producing biodiesel fuel from campus waste fryer oil presents several advantages as a bioenergy and sustainability education topic (Christiansen, 2008; Jin & Bierma, 2013) because

• It converts a waste into a valuable product.
• It involves a feedstock that is very familiar to students (fryer oil).
• The fuel can be utilized to operate campus vehicles.
• It provides opportunities to educate the campus as well as local communities about bioenergy and sustainability.

In this paper, we present our experience of a campus biodiesel project where students who were enrolled in the undergraduate research course at ISU converted WVO from campus dining centers to biodiesel fuel used in university vehicles. Students who participated in the undergraduate research course were later recruited as paid teaching assistants for another regular course in which biodiesel production was a component. This allowed biodiesel to be produced continuously and provided additional students with hands-on bioenergy experience.  This project is unique in that it is completely student-driven, student-run and financially sustainable once the initial capital cost is in place, whereas other similar projects require full-time personnel, paid from a separate budget (Christiansen, 2008; Waickman, 2022).

Project Description and Outcomes

The student biodiesel project began a few years ago as an idea of environmental health (EH) students and faculty. The EH undergraduate curriculum has an elective research course with variable hours (1–3 credits).  After successfully completing this course, students should be able to:

• use library and other tools to search for existing body of research relevant to a given research topic,
• collect and analyze data using appropriate techniques,
• apply problem-solving skills to constructively address research setbacks, and
• communicate research to others in the field and to broader audiences through presentations.

We integrated this research course with service learning and civic engagement in mind by guiding students through producing biodiesel fuel from campus waste vegetable oil (WVO).  Learning activities included sampling and analyzing WVO from campus dining centers (Figure 1); producing and testing small-scale (1-gallon) batches of biodiesel; researching large-scale (50- gallon) biodiesel production technology; producing and testing large-scale batches of biodiesel (Figure 2); researching recovery technology of methanol and glycerin from biodiesel glycerin waste; designing and building a solar-powered methanol and glycerin recovery unit; and presenting research findings in classrooms as well as community outreach activities. 

Faculty worked closely with students throughout the undergraduate research course with a typical enrollment of 8–10 EH students each semester (about 60% females).  In addition, faculty had weekly classroom meetings with students to discuss literature and data interpretation and analysis and to brainstorm with students on problem-solving ideas when there were research setbacks; faculty also worked with students in the lab and field to troubleshoot process/equipment.  Students formed a close relationship with faculty in this course, evidenced by frequently dropping by during faculty office hours to discuss academic and career plans.    

After several semesters of efforts, biodiesel has been produced in 50-gallon batches and has received American Society of Testing Methods (ASTM) certification. Approximately 6,000 gallons of biodiesel have been produced per year and have been used in a variety of campus diesel vehicles.  

 Students in this undergraduate course also hosted tours and demonstrations for junior high and high schools in the community.  Signs on the truck, as well as in dining halls, have educated ISU students about the waste-to-fuel practice on campus. News media coverage educated the community about local bioenergy and sustainability practices (Figure 3). Biodiesel production has also become part of another regular course called Renewable Energy and Agriculture (AGR 225).  Students in the three STEM majors (about half females) typically take AGR 225 in their junior and senior years.  ISU students who participated in the undergraduate research course were recruited as paid teaching assistants for AGR 225 providing approximately 30–50 students per year with hands-on bioenergy experience while allowing continuous production of campus biodiesel fuel. 

Student Feedback

Student feedback was collected from standard college course evaluation with one open-ended question: “Write a short paragraph about your experience with the biodiesel project. How did this experience influence your connection to the community?” In addition, instructors’ observations of student comments during the biodiesel production process, classroom discussions, and education outreach activities are also presented as anecdotal evidence. 

In the standard college course evaluation, students were asked to rate in a Likert scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the highest score.  Over 90% students rated their progress on relevant course objectives as 4 or 5.  All students rated learning to apply knowledge and skills to benefit others or serve the public goods as 4 or 5. 

In addition, students felt a great sense of responsibility to make a real product (i.e. biodiesel fuel) that had to pass a fuel quality control test run by themselves … and when it didn’t, they had to figure out what went wrong and how to fix it! It was a lot of work, but students felt inspired to do it and it felt rewarding to help people in the wider community.  Students also feel that they are more aware of community needs and have a deeper understanding of the social and economic impact of environmental problems on a community.  Students felt strongly connected to the local community, because they took actions and were able to serve the local community.

Discussion and Suggestions for Future Practice

Integrating service learning with undergraduate research, the student biodiesel project allowed half of the campus diesel energy needs to be met by a material (WVO) that was formerly a waste (N. Stoff [Illinois State University Facilities Management], personal communication, July 31, 2018), an example of greater sustainability through resource-conserving technologies and practices. Biodiesel reduced air pollution from campus diesel vehicles, including the emission of greenhouse gases.  This project allowed students to learn basic laboratory and research skills and apply them in a campus sustainability challenge, connected students to their community, taught civic responsibility, and increased students’ awareness of the social/economic aspects of environmental challenges in the world around them. Students felt empowered by being trusted to work on a research project that is meaningful and important because it is real research and makes a difference in the real world.  Students developed a profound personal attachment to achieving positive change in both the environment and their communities.  These student outcomes were consistent with many studies that showed that service learning resulted in gains in academic engagement (Covitt, 2006; Mpofu, 2007), self-efficacy and interpersonal and problem-solving skills (Chen et al., 2018; Bielefeldt & Lima, 2019), civic responsibility and attitudes toward community service (Kahne & Sporte, 2008; Manning-Ouellette & Hemer, 2019).

The student biodiesel project leveraged funding and support from several sources to establish biodiesel production on campus. Besides a gift from the Omron Foundation and a grant from ISU Student Sustainability Fund, space in the department of agriculture shop was provided for production without charge. A used pickup truck for WVO collection was donated by the university. Finally, ISU purchased our biodiesel at market price. This revenue paid for materials and supplies, student teaching assistants, and recapitalization of equipment, with the result that biodiesel production on campus was financially self-sustaining. 

Specific challenges encountered in this project included substantial initial capital investment, the requirement for campus-wide support in infrastructure and logistics, and the fact that financial self-sustainability of the project was subject to changes in the price of materials, product/ biodiesel as well as labor cost of student teaching assistants.  Despite the challenges, we believe this type of service-learning on university campuses presents great opportunities for sustainability education and civic engagement through community service.   

Our next steps will be seeking methods to make the process more labor efficient, recover more methanol, and find a way to generate more revenue from glycerin, for example by using it to make soap.  We will also seek donations of WVO from local small business to increase our biodiesel output to further serve the local community.  

Institutions with limited resources could implement an adapted form of the project such as Biodiesel on Wheels, where a flatbed trailer could be used to house all components required for making biodiesel. This setup requires much less space and fewer resources but could produce good-quality biodiesel from campus WVO, and it could be used as an excellent community education outreach tool.

About the Authors 

Guang Jin (Sc.D. in Environmental Health Sciences) is Professor of Environmental Health & Sustainability in the Department of Health Sciences at Illinois State University, with areas of expertise and experience in pollution prevention, biomass energy, and sustainability.  She is passionate about student engagement in STEM and about innovative pedagogies to enhance learning.

Thomas Bierma (Ph.D. in Public Health) is Emeritus Professor of Environmental Health & Sustainability in the Department of Health Sciences at Illinois State University, with research experience in sustainable business practices, bioenergy, waste management, and pedagogy for higher education.

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Bielefeldt, A. R., & Lima, M. (2019). Service-learning and civic engagement as the basis for engineering design education. In Nur Md. Sayeed Hassan and Sérgio António Neves Lousada (Eds.), New innovations in engineering education and naval engineering (pp. 17–36). INTECHOPEN LIMITED. http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.83699

Brundiers, K., Wiek, A., & Redman, C. L. (2010). Real-world learning opportunities in sustainability: From classroom into the real world. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 11, 308–324.

Chen, T., Snell, R. S., & Wu, C. X. (2018). Comparing the effects of service-learning versus nonservice-learning project experiences on service leadership emergence and meaning schema transformation. Academy of Management Learning & Education, 17(4), 474–495. 

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Sandie Han, New York City College of Technology

Diana Samaroo, New York City College of Technology

Janet Liou-Mark, New York City College of Technology

Lauri Aguirre, New York City College of Technology

Abstract

Mathematics preparatory workshops were offered to college students at a diverse urban undergraduate institution.  The goal was to prepare students for their mathematics course, by offering non-credit bearing and free preparatory workshops. The lack of adequate preparation for mathematics courses is a barrier for student engagement in future STEM courses. We believe that by providing preparatory workshops, we can improve not only the success but access for students in foundational mathematics courses. The workshops allowed students to engage with the course content in a rigorous and intensive manner prior to the start of the semester. Students who participated in the workshops are more likely to be better prepared when enrolled in the credit-bearing course.  

Introduction

New York City College of Technology (City Tech), a designated Hispanic-Serving Institution in an urban metropolitan area, provides education in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) to a diverse student population. As of fall 2021, the student ethnicity/demographics at the college were 34.1% Hispanic students, 26.8% African American, 20.9% Asian, 11.4% White, 4.0% Nonresident alien, 2.2% two or more races, 0.4% American Indian or Alaskan Native and 0.2% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander. As a primarily undergraduate institution, the college offers associate and bachelor’s degree programs.  Some associate degree programs serve as a pathway toward a bachelor’s degree with the advantage of enabling students to take prerequisite and developmental courses.   Often referred to as “two plus two” (two-year associate and two-year bachelor’s), this model enables students to start in an associate degree program while taking prerequisite and developmental courses and continue into the bachelor’s program. This model provides a path for students to enter a STEM program even if there are gaps in their mathematics and science coursework in high school.  

The college’s mission is to prepare students for applied and technical careers by providing access to opportunities which include interdisciplinary and ‘place-based learning’. Celebrating its 25th year as a Hispanic Serving Institution, the college fosters practices which promote equity for its diverse student population (City Tech, n.d). Furthermore, students are often engaged in high-impact practices, such as undergraduate research, which can focus on community-based or local issues, such as water quality (Galford, 2017; Samaroo, 2022) or integration of STEM into the elementary school curriculum (Samaroo, 2018), alongside other projects that include peer led team learning (Han, 2022).  

The mathematics department at our college offers more than two hundred sections of mathematics classes, with two-thirds of them considered gateway (see below) classes  to a student’s chosen degree path. These include quantitative reasoning, college algebra and trigonometry, precalculus, calculus 1 and calculus 2, and are taken by 4,000-5,000 students every semester. In STEM disciplines, this often results in a lengthy sequence of courses where one is a prerequisite to the next. Worse yet, these courses are often ranked among the most failed courses at the institution. Gateway mathematics courses with high failure rates is likely to deter students in their STEM pursuit, leading to high attrition and low graduation (Sithole, 2017).

(We define gateway mathematics courses as the foundational course students need to complete in their first year of studies for a specific degree program. These courses can also be a pre- or co-requisite to other major courses required fora degree. For example calculus is a prerequisite to certain engineering courses at our college. Calculus can also be considered a gateway course in the Applied Mathematics major, for example, as it is the first required course in a sequence of courses for that degree.)

The preparation of students for college courses is more problematic than ever due to the well-documented learning loss experienced by students in recent years (Gordon, 2021; Moscoviz, 2022).  One of the key areas of significant learning loss is in mathematics (NEA, 2022). The problem also points to increased inequity in access to quality education during the pandemic among underrepresented minorities and underserved populations (NEA, 2022). Examining the demographics found that minority students and students with financial needs tended to be those starting at developmental level or needing prerequisite content support (Attewell, 2006; Logue 2016).

Recognizing that mathematics is the foundation of any STEM program, and that student success and timely completion of prerequisite mathematics courses strongly impact their ability to complete the STEM major (Frost, 2017), we implemented at our institution low-stakes, high-impact preparatory workshops designed to help bridge the learning gaps. In literature review, we found only few articles reporting on “preparatory workshops”, “bootcamps” or “bridge programs”. Most reported that there is a strong need to prepare and support students especially in the first year of college (Alavi, 2020; Campbell, 2015; Frost, 2017; Jura, 2022; Reisel, 2014). Some bridge programs range from three to four weeks.  Clune et al. reported on the success of a mathematics bootcamp for graduate students (2022). Such programs, whether workshops or bootcamps, benefit students beyond the subject matter; they help provide study skills, critical thinking, college resource awareness, and they are important in the transition and the mental preparation for college (Alavi, 2020; Jura, 2022). The goal of this paper is to disseminate the work from our mathematics preparatory program for undergraduate students and to provide a model for practitioners.

Workshop Design 

The key goal for our preparatory workshop is to improve student success in mathematics courses. We identified those courses that are gateway in degree programs and designed a week-long workshop to provide a review of the prerequisite materials and an introduction to the course.  The typical design of the workshop is for four days at three hours a day for a total of 12.  For our college algebra and trigonometry with co-requisite, designed for students with greater needs for remediation and reviews, we offer a slightly longer workshop for five days at three hours a day for a total of 15 hours. The workshops are strategically scheduled right before the beginning of the semester (in summer, August and in winter, January), so students would be motivated and mentally ready on the first day of class.

Figure 1: Samples of Workshop Materials

The workshops are low stakes in the sense they do not bear any credits or grades, and are completely voluntary and open to all students.  At our institution, the workshops are funded by First Year Programs and are offered free of cost to students. Recruitment for the workshops is through college email announcement, recommendations by the instructors or departments, or through First Year Programs and other support services.  There is a required registration process for the workshop which allows us to identify the students and follow their progress in the semester.

In designing the workshops, we considered the following aspects:

Content support. Each workshop is specifically designed to prepare students for a particular course. A corresponding workbook is created for each workshop to provide the content materials which include prerequisite review as well as introductory topics that students may see again in the course. The workshop instructors are recruited from among the mathematics faculty, typically those with experience teaching the course.

High-impact pedagogies. High-impact active learning pedagogies are incorporated into the workshop and the workbook design, such as exploratory learning, collaborative learning, hands-on problem-solving, real-world applications, and the use of visualization for the demonstration of concepts (Abate, 2022; Presmeg, 2006).  

Peer-support system. The peer-led team learning (PLTL) is an important component of the support system where peer leaders recruited from among the upper-class students in various STEM majors to support and facilitate either one-on-one learning or group discussions in the workshops (Liou-Mark, 2015). Another importance of the PLTL program is the “role modeling” impact by the peer leaders whom we made strong efforts to recruit from women and underrepresented minorities. 

Equitable and inclusive access. The workshop design considers academic, financial, and emotional support in providing equitable and inclusive access, adopting high impact strategies to support women and underrepresented minority students. The pedagogical strategies mentioned above, as well as tuition-free workshops, the open-access resources, the PLTL support, and the use of visualization in the workbook design are all aiming to increase learning opportunities and reduce challenges.  

Developed over the years, we have expanded our workshops to support six mathematics courses. Other than Quantitative Reasoning, which is considered the gateway mathematics for non-STEM majors, the other five courses are part of the STEM sequence required by engineering, mathematics, computer science, and some sciences such as computational physics and applied chemistry. Students who begin their mathematics with college algebra (based on college placement exams), often face a lengthy mathematics sequence. The college algebra course is the most enrolled course in the mathematics department. We present below a brief description of each course and its corresponding workshop:

Quantitative Reasoning is a course designed for non-STEM majors who need a review of equations, problem-solving and basic probability, and statistics. The workshop incorporates real-world data such as COVID-19 or Census data which are relevant to students and their communities.

College Algebra and Trigonometry with Corequisite is a course with additional hours of corequisite support designed for students who can benefit from additional algebra review. For many STEM majors, this is the first of their STEM mathematics sequence. The workshop starts with a review of elementary and intermediate algebra topics with emphasis on addressing common mistakes and pitfalls.

College Algebra and Trigonometry, same as (2) above, is the first of STEM mathematics sequence. The workshop puts greater emphasis on introduction to trigonometry because students tend to have difficulties with trigonometric concepts.

Precalculus. The workshop focuses on the studies of functions and their characteristics using graphs and visualization tools such as Desmos.  

Calculus I. The workshop incorporates numerous graphs and visualizations to demonstrate the related concepts. The workshop provides “just in time” review of algebra. 

Calculus II. The workshop focuses on both concepts and techniques, as well as provides “just in time” review of algebra and trigonometry needed in integration.

The freely accessible corresponding workbooks focus on concept understanding through visualization, hands-on problem solving, and real-world applications. The design of the curriculum offers targeted lessons that anticipate the immediate needs of the student providing relevant review materials with new content. This not only helps review a topic but also applies it right away in problem-solving. Below, we share some sample workbook materials. 

Effectiveness of the Workshops

Presented in this section is a summary of findings from the workshops offered in summer 2019, summer 2020, and summer 2021. The workshops were in person in summer 2019 and online in summer 2020 and 2021. Of the total 464 participants in the workshops, 417 registered for the corresponding courses in the Fall semester immediately after the workshops, while the remaining 47 students either did not take math in the immediate semester or took a course different from the workshop in which they participated. These 47 students were included in the demographic data but excluded from the grade distribution data.

Figure 2. Demographics of Workshop Participants During Summers 2019, 2020, 2021 (N=464)

1. The demographic data of the workshop participants from summer 2019, 2020, and 2021 shows that 56% were female, and 73% were African American, Hispanic, or other (Native American, Pacific Islander, two or more races).  These numbers are significant compared with the institution’s enrollment data which consists of 46% women and 67.7% African American, Hispanic, and other (Figure 2). Given that registration for the workshop is voluntary and self-selected, the high participation rate among women and underrepresented minority groups, particularly Hispanic and African American women and men, suggests the preparatory workshops respond to the needs of women and underrepresented minority students for learning support.
2. The grade distribution comparison indicates that students who participated in the workshop generally had a higher percentage of A, B and C grades and a lower percentage of failure (F grade) in the corresponding course as compared to students who did not participate in the workshops (see Figure 3). Overall, 56% of the workshop participants earned a grade of A, B, or C in the corresponding course in the immediate semester after the workshop.
3. While we had hoped workshop participants would show a lower withdrawal rate (W grade), a possible explanation for the higher withdrawal rate observed in Fall 2020 may be due to the special allowance for Credit (CR) and No Credit (NC) grades during the pandemic semesters. The college data grouped NC with F, rather than W grade, which may have resulted in skewed F and W grade distribution.  
4. Using Chi square test to see if there is a significant difference in the grade distribution pattern of the workshop participants compared to the non-participants, we found no significant difference in the Fall 2019 and Fall 2020 data; but there is significant difference in the Fall 2021 data.
5. In desegregated comparison, students who participated in the workshops for College Algebra and Trigonometry (including both the extended course with corequisite and the regular course without the corequisite) showed a higher percentage in earning A, B, C grades and a lower percentage of earning F and W grades.  See Figure 4, which also provides a pre-pandemic (Fall 2019) and post-pandemic (Fall 2021) comparison for the same course.  The post-pandemic data shows an exceedingly high withdrawal rate (32%) among students who did not participate in the workshops.
6. The participation rate of the workshop among registered students in the course has increased from 1.7% in Fall 2019 to 2.6% in Fall 2020 and to 4.0% in Fall 2021.  This seems to indicate that more students feel the need for course review and learning support. We think changing the workshop to the online format in 2020 and 2021 may have contributed to the increased participation.  Students have also indicated that they preferred online workshops.  

Figure 3: Grade Distribution Comparison of Workshop Participants versus Non-Participants in the corresponding courses during the Fall Semesters. (City Tech Office of Assessment, Institutional Research and Effectiveness (AIRE). http://air.citytech.cuny.edu/data-dashboard/)

Figure 4: Grade Distribution Comparison of Workshop Participants versus Non-Participants in College Algebra and Trigonmetry (with or without corequisite) (Fall 2019 and Fall 2021). (City Tech Office of Assessment, Institutional Research and Effectiveness (AIRE). http://air.citytech.cuny.edu/data-dashboard/)

At the conclusion of the winter 2022 preparatory workshops, students were asked for (voluntary) feedback.  Of the 55  students who responded, a significant majority agreed or strongly agreed that the workshop was helpful. Overwhelmingly, students strongly agreed that the instruction was helpful, an indication that students connected with the instructor despite this being a short one-week program.  

We also asked the workshop instructors to gauge their student response or receptiveness towards the workbook; they reported positive responses and that the visual activities and graphs from the workbooks were very helpful. Regarding student engagement, instructors reported that students were actively engaged. One instructor commented,  “Best online workshop that I’ve taught.” 

Conclusion

Student access to the preparatory workshops described in this paper seems to show an increase in student success in mathematics courses. Students who participate in preparatory workshops are more likely to be better prepared and show better results when taking the credit bearing course. In addition, these students are taking responsibility for their own learning since participation in the non-credit bearing workshops is completely voluntary. The preparatory workshop offered at our college focuses on bridging learning gaps in mathematics, however, this should not be exclusive to mathematics.  Preparatory workshops in other first-year courses can be just as beneficial, especially those in STEM requiring foundational knowledge, such as chemistry, biology, or writing. 

We share this work because it is low stakes with measurable impact and can be easily replicated for colleges who seek to address equity in student learning. We summarize additional benefits here for those who consider designing and implementing a preparatory workshop:

• A preparatory workshop may be offered in targeted discipline support based on needs.
• A preparatory workshop is easy to develop and flexible in length. The workshops may range from a few hours of review to a more extensive course prep.
• A preparatory workshop not only helps students review for a course, but it also helps prepare students with college readiness skills and mental state. 
• The cost-benefit analysis shows a preparatory workshop before the semester is an efficient way to support students on a limited budget.
• Since there is no requirement for grades, the curriculum can be more creative and customized to students’ skill level. 

We believe that students respond favorably to the workshop because they view the instructors as helping instead of judging and are more likely to bond and enjoy the experience of learning. 

In conclusion, we found that the one-week mathematics preparatory workshops just prior to the start of the semester were helpful in building motivation, increasing learning success, and providing equitable and inclusive support for students, in particular women and underrepresented minorities.  Although we could not fully determine whether the post-pandemic workshops had more impact than the pre-pandemic workshops, we believe the need for learning support is stronger than ever, and the workshop is an effective way of providing a valuable foundation.

Acknowledgements

First Year Programs is thanked for sharing the compiled data. We thank the instructors for their participation in the workshops.  The authors also acknowledge the editors for their feedback.

About the Authors 

Sandie Han is a Professor of Mathematics at New York City College of Technology. She has extensive experience in program design and administration, including serving as the mathematics department chair for six years, PI on the U.S. Department of Education MSEIP grant and Co-PI on the NSF S-STEM grant. Her research area is number theory and mathematics education.  Her work on Self-Regulated Learning and Mathematics Self-Efficacy won the CUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Mathematics Instructions in 2013. She is passionate about increasing student engagement and participation in STEM, particularly to empower women and underrepresented minorities.  She started the CUNY Celebrates Women in Computing conference and is currently the 2022 – 23 faculty leadership fellow in CUNY Office of Undergraduate Studies, Academic Programs and Policy serving in the role of Assistant Dean for Academic Technology & Pedagogy.

Diana Samaroo is a Professor in the Chemistry Department at NYC College of Technology in Brooklyn, New York.   She has experience in curricular and program development, as well as administration as the Chairperson of the Chemistry Department for six years.  She has mentored undergraduates under the support of Emerging and Honors Scholars program, CUNY Service Corps, Louis-Stokes for Alliance Minority Participation (LS-AMP) and the Black Male Initiative programs.  She serves as co-PI on several federal grants, which include NSF S-STEM, NSF RCN-UBE, and NSF HSI-IUSE grants. With a doctoral degree in Biochemistry, Dr. Samaroo’s research interests include drug discovery, therapeutics and nanomaterials.  Her pedagogical research is in peer led team learning in Chemistry and integrating research into the curriculum.

Janet Liou-Mark was a Professor Emeritus of Mathematics at NYC College of Technology. Her research interests included peer-led team learning, mentoring, interdisciplinary learning, and enhancing diversity in STEM. Dr. Liou-Mark received thirteen awards for her excellence in education, which included the 2011 CUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Mathematics Instruction and the Mathematical Association of America Metropolitan New York Section 2014 Award for Distinguished Teaching of Mathematics.  Dr. Liou-Mark was co-principal investigator on several National Science Foundation grants, as well as Department of Education Minority Science and Engineering Improvement Program grant. 

Lauri Aguirre is the Director of First Year Programs (FYP) at New York City College of Technology. In this role, she has administered and designed programs for new students, focusing on their acclimatization of basic academic skills, college preparedness and student success. Programming has included the First Year Summer Program immersion courses and workshops in English and mathematics, First Year Learning Communities, City Tech 101: A Student Success Workshop, the FYP Peer Mentoring program, and the student handbook, The Companion for the First Year at City Tech.

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