Project Grant 2335801

This $111,682 federal Project Grant award from the National Science Foundation's STEM Education (CFDA 47.076) program was provided to the University of Central Florida to develop and evaluate the use of adaptive learning platforms (ALPs) to enhance student motivation, cognitive engagement, and achievement in STEM undergraduate courses. The project aims to compare student outcomes between blended active learning classrooms using pre-class ALP lessons versus traditional one-size-fits-all pre-class activities delivered via a learning management system (LMS). Five engineering courses at three institutions will be studied, analyzing cognitive and affective outcomes as well as student learning behaviors based on ALP analytics. The project will result in improved ALP lessons, comparative LMS content, and open educational resources to disseminate the research findings on best practices for leveraging adaptive learning technology in blended STEM instruction. This 3-year collaborative research and development effort involves faculty and researchers from the University of South Florida, the University of Central Florida, and the University of Pittsburgh.