GEMS Program Components

1
Generating Enthusiasm for Math and Science Via
Inter-Disciplinary Freshmen Seminars Sharmistha
Basu-Dutt (sbdutt_at_westga.edu) University of West
Georgia, Carrollton, GA 30118
Frontiers in Space Science Freshman
Seminar

• Generating Enthusiasm for Math and Science (GEMS)
• Funded by NSF-STEP (Science, Technology,
  Engineering and Math Talent Expansion Program).
• 877,000 awarded to the University of West
  Georgia (2003 2008).
• Recruit, progress and graduate (RPG) STEM
  majors at UWG.

• GEMS Program Components
• Three STEM based learning communities (LC)
  funded.
• unique and innovative learning environment that
  is personal, supportive, and focused on making
  educational experience productive, successful and
  fun.
• Each LC has 24 students with similar STEM
  career interests.
• LC curriculum integrates First Year English
  Composition, inter-disciplinary freshmen
  seminars, Pre-calculus and Calculus I, Chemistry
  or Biology or Geology, Economics and/or Political
  Science.
• Efforts to reform introductory STEM courses.
• Peer led team learning (PLTL) in introductory
  STEM courses to encourage cooperative learning.
• Opportunities for summer research experience
  and mentoring by faculty and STEM majors.

Frontiers in CSI-UWG Freshman Seminar

• Frontiers in Pandemic Flu Freshman Seminar
• Combines experiences in biology, chemistry and
  statistics to understand the dynamics of the
  pandemic avian flu.

• Inter-disciplinary Freshmen Seminars
• Strategies to improve student attitudes towards
  STEM.
• Collaborative, cooperative and project-based
  learning themes.
• Innovative lab experience Allows creativity,
  experimentation, data analysis and thoughtful
  reflection.
• Connected learning Shows interdependence and
  relevance of STEM disciplines in real world
  applications.
• Themes
• Space Science physical science and engineering
  majors.
• CSI-UWG biological and chemical science majors.
• Flu Pandemic health science and
  pre-professional majors.

• Impact of Freshman Seminar Courses on UWG STEM
  Majors
• Weekly class attendance in all seminar courses
  is above 90.
• Students express disappointment at not being
  able to take a similar seminar course the
  following semester!!!
• Students have a positive attitude about taking
  higher level STEM courses.
• Meets the spirit of the project sponsoring the
  course Generating Enthusiasm for Math and
  Science

Acknowledgments STEP grant DUE-0336571