You walk into your college Introduction to Biology class, along with 50 -100 other classmates, you sit down, pull your table up, and for the next 50 minutes you listen to your professor talk about biology concepts on a PowerPoint slide.

This process, while still the norm, is being challenged to diversify student learning and to move away from memorization based to application based learning in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math ( STEM) areas. The President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST), in 2013, called for opportunities for education technologies to improve educational outcomes and lower costs in higher education, as well as the development of a national exchange mechanism for these data to accelerate research and enable adaptation of teaching to suit a variety of learners. However, as teachers experiment with STEM curricula, the biggest challenge is to ensure that students use the knowledge they have gained, even across other disciplines. In the classroom, students should be able to develop models, construct explanations and engage in discussions that enable them to make decisions about personal health, environmental issues and national security.

According to the 2012 PCAST report, less than half of the 3 million students who enter colleges intending to major in STEM field persist at graduation. The exit rate is particularly high for women and racial and ethnic minorities. The concept of the persistence framework is engage and motivate these students. An important psychological framework of motivation, is confidence.

Curriculum should address the persistence model to help students identify as a scientist early. Successful programs such as the Biology Scholars Program (UC Berkeley), Gateway Science Workshop (Northwestern University), and Howard Hughes Medical Institute Research Scholars Program ( Louisiana State University) have used these three interventions:

• Early research experiences. Students who engage in STEM projects the first 2 years of college are likely to persist. This helps with professional identification.
• Active learning in introductory courses. Back to my robotic lecture hall example. Students tend to walk out of this lecture with a goal of simply memorizing the slides. Many students will thus drop out because they find the material uninspiring. Active learning which includes activities such as classroom discussions or brief opportunity for reflection on the material, will improve retention of concepts and reduce STEM attrition.
• Membership in STEM learning communities. These are places ( virtual or physical) that enable students to work with or learn from each other. Study groups, online groups, group activities, and science clubs are just a few ways to boost student involvement and promote confidence.

It is now up to parents and faculty to advocate for resources in changing the classroom practices and encourage students in the persistence framework for STEM education.