What Questions Are on the Minds of STEM Undergraduate Students and How Can They Be Addressed?

Addressing common student questions in introductory STEM courses early in the term is one way that instructors can ensure that their students have all been presented with information about how to succeed in their courses. However, categorizing student questions and identifying evidence-based resourc...

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Main Authors: Clara L. Meaders, Michelle K. Smith, Timothy Boester, Anne Bracy, Brian A. Couch, Abby G. Drake, Saima Farooq, Bashir Khoda, Cynthia Kinsland, A. Kelly Lane, Sarah E. Lindahl, William H. Livingston, Ayesha Maliwal Bundy, Amber McCormick, Anya I Morozov, Jennifer L. Newell-Caito, Katharine J. Ruskin, Mark A. Sarvary, Marilyne Stains, Justin R. St. Juliana, Stephanie R. Thomas, Cindy van Es, Erin L. Vinson, Maren N. Vitousek, Mackenzie R. Stetzer
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2021-02-01
Series:Frontiers in Education
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2021.639338/full
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author Clara L. Meaders
Michelle K. Smith
Timothy Boester
Anne Bracy
Brian A. Couch
Abby G. Drake
Saima Farooq
Bashir Khoda
Cynthia Kinsland
A. Kelly Lane
Sarah E. Lindahl
William H. Livingston
Ayesha Maliwal Bundy
Amber McCormick
Anya I Morozov
Jennifer L. Newell-Caito
Katharine J. Ruskin
Mark A. Sarvary
Marilyne Stains
Justin R. St. Juliana
Stephanie R. Thomas
Cindy van Es
Erin L. Vinson
Maren N. Vitousek
Mackenzie R. Stetzer
Mackenzie R. Stetzer
author_facet Clara L. Meaders
Michelle K. Smith
Timothy Boester
Anne Bracy
Brian A. Couch
Abby G. Drake
Saima Farooq
Bashir Khoda
Cynthia Kinsland
A. Kelly Lane
Sarah E. Lindahl
William H. Livingston
Ayesha Maliwal Bundy
Amber McCormick
Anya I Morozov
Jennifer L. Newell-Caito
Katharine J. Ruskin
Mark A. Sarvary
Marilyne Stains
Justin R. St. Juliana
Stephanie R. Thomas
Cindy van Es
Erin L. Vinson
Maren N. Vitousek
Mackenzie R. Stetzer
Mackenzie R. Stetzer
author_sort Clara L. Meaders
collection DOAJ
description Addressing common student questions in introductory STEM courses early in the term is one way that instructors can ensure that their students have all been presented with information about how to succeed in their courses. However, categorizing student questions and identifying evidence-based resources to address student questions takes time, and instructors may not be able to easily collect and respond to student questions at the beginning of every course. To help faculty effectively anticipate and respond to student questions, we 1) administered surveys in multiple STEM courses to identify common student questions, 2) conducted a qualitative analysis to determine categories of student questions (e.g., what are best practices for studying, how can in- and out-of- course time be effectively used), and 3) collaboratively identified advice on how course instructors can answer these questions. Here, we share tips, evidence-based strategies, and resources from faculty that instructors can use to develop their own responses for students. We hope that educators can use these common student questions as a starting point to proactively address questions throughout the course and that the compiled resources will allow instructors to easily find materials that can be considered for their own courses.
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spelling doaj.art-da3495d7343d4c29831cb5848687286b2022-12-21T19:44:13ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Education2504-284X2021-02-01610.3389/feduc.2021.639338639338What Questions Are on the Minds of STEM Undergraduate Students and How Can They Be Addressed?Clara L. Meaders0Michelle K. Smith1Timothy Boester2Anne Bracy3Brian A. Couch4Abby G. Drake5Saima Farooq6Bashir Khoda7Cynthia Kinsland8A. Kelly Lane9Sarah E. Lindahl10William H. Livingston11Ayesha Maliwal Bundy12Amber McCormick13Anya I Morozov14Jennifer L. Newell-Caito15Katharine J. Ruskin16Mark A. Sarvary17Marilyne Stains18Justin R. St. Juliana19Stephanie R. Thomas20Cindy van Es21Erin L. Vinson22Maren N. Vitousek23Mackenzie R. Stetzer24Mackenzie R. Stetzer25Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, CA, United StatesDepartment of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United StatesDepartment of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Maine, Orono, ME, United StatesDepartment of Computer Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United StatesSchool of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE, United StatesDepartment of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United StatesDepartment of Physics and Astronomy, University of Maine, Orono, ME, United StatesDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, University of Maine, Orono, ME, United StatesDepartment of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United StatesDepartment of Biology Teaching and Learning, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States0Department of Chemistry, University of Maine, Orono, ME, United States1School of Forest Resources, University of Maine, Orono, ME, United StatesDepartment of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Maine, Orono, ME, United States2Department of Construction Engineering Technology, University of Maine, Orono, ME, United StatesSchool of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE, United States3Department of Molecular and Biomedical Sciences, University of Maine, Orono, ME, United States4Ecology and Environmental Sciences Program, University of Maine, Orono, ME, United States5Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States6Department of Chemistry, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, nited StatesDepartment of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States7Department of Economics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States8Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States9Maine Center for Research in STEM Education, University of Maine, Orono, ME, United StatesDepartment of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United StatesDepartment of Physics and Astronomy, University of Maine, Orono, ME, United States9Maine Center for Research in STEM Education, University of Maine, Orono, ME, United StatesAddressing common student questions in introductory STEM courses early in the term is one way that instructors can ensure that their students have all been presented with information about how to succeed in their courses. However, categorizing student questions and identifying evidence-based resources to address student questions takes time, and instructors may not be able to easily collect and respond to student questions at the beginning of every course. To help faculty effectively anticipate and respond to student questions, we 1) administered surveys in multiple STEM courses to identify common student questions, 2) conducted a qualitative analysis to determine categories of student questions (e.g., what are best practices for studying, how can in- and out-of- course time be effectively used), and 3) collaboratively identified advice on how course instructors can answer these questions. Here, we share tips, evidence-based strategies, and resources from faculty that instructors can use to develop their own responses for students. We hope that educators can use these common student questions as a starting point to proactively address questions throughout the course and that the compiled resources will allow instructors to easily find materials that can be considered for their own courses.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2021.639338/fullundergraduateintroductory STEM coursesquestionsacademic successtime managementstudying
spellingShingle Clara L. Meaders
Michelle K. Smith
Timothy Boester
Anne Bracy
Brian A. Couch
Abby G. Drake
Saima Farooq
Bashir Khoda
Cynthia Kinsland
A. Kelly Lane
Sarah E. Lindahl
William H. Livingston
Ayesha Maliwal Bundy
Amber McCormick
Anya I Morozov
Jennifer L. Newell-Caito
Katharine J. Ruskin
Mark A. Sarvary
Marilyne Stains
Justin R. St. Juliana
Stephanie R. Thomas
Cindy van Es
Erin L. Vinson
Maren N. Vitousek
Mackenzie R. Stetzer
Mackenzie R. Stetzer
What Questions Are on the Minds of STEM Undergraduate Students and How Can They Be Addressed?
Frontiers in Education
undergraduate
introductory STEM courses
questions
academic success
time management
studying
title What Questions Are on the Minds of STEM Undergraduate Students and How Can They Be Addressed?
title_full What Questions Are on the Minds of STEM Undergraduate Students and How Can They Be Addressed?
title_fullStr What Questions Are on the Minds of STEM Undergraduate Students and How Can They Be Addressed?
title_full_unstemmed What Questions Are on the Minds of STEM Undergraduate Students and How Can They Be Addressed?
title_short What Questions Are on the Minds of STEM Undergraduate Students and How Can They Be Addressed?
title_sort what questions are on the minds of stem undergraduate students and how can they be addressed
topic undergraduate
introductory STEM courses
questions
academic success
time management
studying
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2021.639338/full
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