Biology Office Hours

In the United States, science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) disciplines typically have lower rates of retention than other fields, such as the social sciences. Retention rates in some STEM disciplines are even lower for groups that are underrepresented and marginalized in academia and STEM. Office hours are the primary vector for interaction between most students and their instructors. To address both the challenges of teaching across different classroom sizes and building equitable and effective learning experiences for all students, this project will examine the role that pedagogical practices, student and instructor perceptions and attitudes, course structures, and campus environments have on student outcomes and retention in STEM. Specifically, we seek to understand faculty and student usage and perceptions of STEM course office hours.