Discussion on Getting Past the Gateway: An Exploratory Case on Using Utilitarian Scientific Literacy to Support First-Year Students At-Risk of Leaving STEM

Gateway courses serve as the initial barrier to persistence in the science, technology, engineering,
and math (STEM) pipeline among college students. First-year students who enter college pursuing a
STEM degree still face challenges persisting through the STEM pipeline (Chen, 2013; Leu, 2017).
These introductory courses are critical for STEM majors because they serve as the first encounter to
coursework related to the major In this case study, researchers examine the impact of a utilitarian
scientific literacy based academic intervention on retention of first-year students in STEM using a
mixed methods approach. A sample (n = 116) of first-year students identified as at-risk of not
persisting in STEM were enrolled in a for credit utilitarian scientific literacy course. Participants of the
semester long course were then compared with a control group of first-year students identified as atrisk
of persisting in STEM. A two-proportion z test was performed to assess the mean differences
between students and participants of the course were given a survey to gauge student experiences.
Quantitative results (φ 0.34, p < 0.05) indicate that the utilitarian scientific literacy course had a
statistically significant impact on retention among first-year students at-risk of persisting in STEM.
Higher education institutions must take the charge in changing the narrative for those students
seeking STEM degrees and professions. Moreover, qualitative data obtained from participant
responses describe internal and external growth as positive outcomes associated with the
intervention.