Engaging two-year college math faculty to transform the student experience with an innovative math labs approach

The National Science Foundation awarded Sinclair Community College $498,635 on October 1, 2025, under the STEM Education program (CFDA 47.076) to refine and scale an innovative math labs curriculum for two-year institutions nationwide and to provide professional development to mathematics faculty and dual enrollment instructors.

The project delivers refined multidisciplinary, problem-based learning labs aligned with student interests and promotes collaborative problem-solving. Sinclair will provide faculty-led professional learning opportunities and build a community of practice to enhance instructional strategies at two-year colleges. The work also builds instructor capacity to engage students in hands-on math labs and support student transition from secondary to postsecondary education, with particular emphasis on gateway math courses. The initiative seeks to strengthen quantitative literacy, improve student retention and success, and attract more students into STEM fields through active learning strategies and peer networks that support instructional improvement.

Performance occurs at Sinclair Community College in Dayton, Ohio, over the period October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2028.

Abstract

This project aims to serve the national interest by providing professional development opportunities for math faculty that promote improved student retention, success, and preparation for advanced stem academic pathways. Building on an established approach to math instruction centered on engaging, collaborative and hands-on activities, the project focuses on refining and then scaling the curriculum for use at two-year institutions nationwide. By increasing access to alternative mathematics curricula, the initiative seeks to strengthen quantitative literacy and attract more students into stem fields. Faculty-led professional development is designed to increase the use of active learning strategies and reinforce peer networks that support instructional improvement. Through this work, the project contributes to advancing stem education, improving classroom practices, and preparing students for rigorous academic and career pathways. The primary goal of the project is to harness the talent and potential of mathematics faculty at two-year colleges to enhance instruction of gateway math courses by providing training, tools, and mentoring needed to adapt the innovative math labs curriculum. This goal is addressed through the following objectives: 1) refine existing multidisciplinary, problem-based learning labs to better align with student interests and promote collaborative problem-solving, 2) provide professional learning opportunities and foster a community of practice to enhance instructional strategies and support high-quality stem learning experiences for two-year college faculty and dual enrollment instructors, and 3) build the capacity of instructors teaching dual enrollment courses to engage students in hands-on math labs and support transition of students from secondary to postsecondary education. Assessment and evaluation efforts incorporate both formative and summative components to inform implementation and measure outcomes such as student engagement, instructional practices, and scalability. Dissemination occurs through regional, state, and national networks. Among two-year colleges, there is strong documented interest in implementing these labs and collaborating to advance innovative teaching. The materials are designed for broad scalability and sustainability, supported by a national community of practice and ongoing technical assistance. The NSF iuse: innovation in two-year college stem education (ityc) program seeks to accelerate and advance knowledge about the impact of emerging and evidence-based practices in undergraduate stem education at two-year colleges. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.- subawards are not planned for this award.