Targeted Academic Performance Assessments from Missouri University of Science and Technology Students with Project Lead The Way Course Experience

Opportunities for K-12 students to gain exposure to science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education programs are on the increase thanks in part to programs such as Project Lead The Way (PLTW).Our research group has explored the backgrounds of Missouri S&T students through surveys intended to assess the benefits of PLTW on student learning, college preparation, and career pursuits.In this study, we focus on a series of courses that specific target larger groups of students who are both in their field of study and common courses that are required by all students.Specifically, we examined courses grades for courses taken by students pursuing engineering and computer science degree programs with at least 50 students with PLTW experience over the Spring 2015, to the Fall 2016 semesters.Using this criterion, we compared the average course grades for Missouri S&T students with and without PLTW experience for 41 courses in subject areas covering math, speech, English, statistics, chemistry, economics, physics, freshman engineering, and seven engineering programs.Students with PLTW course experience had higher average course grade results in 34 of the 41 courses.We explore student backgrounds that could contribute to the success of the students with PLTW course experience.