1. Increasing and Retaining STEM majors through Virtual Learning Communities Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry Department of Mathematics & Statistics Department of Computer Science Department of Psychology University of North Carolina at Wilmington

2. Funding and Personnel National Science Foundation: Course, Curriculum, and Laboratory Improvement (CCLI) program – Educational Materials Development (EMD) #0442901 National Science Foundation: Course, Curriculum, and Laboratory Improvement (CCLI) program – Educational Materials Development (EMD) #0442901 $124,485 over two years $124,485 over two years Dr. Charles Ward & Dr. James Reeves: CHM Dr. Charles Ward & Dr. James Reeves: CHM Dr. Ron Vetter: CSC Dr. Ron Vetter: CSC Dr. Gabriel Lugo & Dr. Russ Herman: MAT Dr. Gabriel Lugo & Dr. Russ Herman: MAT Dr. Dale Cohen: PSY Dr. Dale Cohen: PSY Dr. Barbara Heath: East Main Educational Consulting Dr. Barbara Heath: East Main Educational Consulting

3. A purposeful restructuring of curriculum to link together courses or coursework so that students find greater coherence in what they are learning and greater interaction with faculty and peers. http://www.evergreen.edu/washcenter/resources/acl/iii2.html. Accessed November 30, 2004. Learning Communities (LCs) Virtual Learning Communities (VLCs) Face-to-face interactions in a Learning Community are replaced with online interactions that can occur anytime and anywhere.

4. Basic Considerations Participation in Learning Communities (LCs) improves student understanding of science and mathematics Participation in Learning Communities (LCs) improves student understanding of science and mathematics LCs foster greater integration of mathematics and science concepts LCs foster greater integration of mathematics and science concepts The basic (face-2-face) LC concept is not easily scalable The basic (face-2-face) LC concept is not easily scalable Virtual Learning Communities (VLCs) based on mobile computing technology are scalable and generalizable Virtual Learning Communities (VLCs) based on mobile computing technology are scalable and generalizable

5. Features of Virtual Learning Community Project All students and faculty are equipped with appropriate technology for full participation in the VLC All students and faculty are equipped with appropriate technology for full participation in the VLC Coordination of core themes in chemistry and math courses Coordination of core themes in chemistry and math courses Communication and Collaboration features of a LC are carried out in a virtual environment Communication and Collaboration features of a LC are carried out in a virtual environment Virtual TA Virtual TA VLC constructed from commercially available software VLC constructed from commercially available software Initial implementation in CHM-102 and MAT-161 Initial implementation in CHM-102 and MAT-161

7. Levels of Technology Services

8. Software Investigated for VLC Microsoft Office 2003 (with OneNote) Microsoft Office 2003 (with OneNote) Word, Excel, PowerPoint Word, Excel, PowerPoint Outlook, Journal Outlook, Journal Pen-based collaborative tools Pen-based collaborative tools

9. Software Investigated for VLC Microsoft Office 2003 (with OneNote) Microsoft Office 2003 (with OneNote) Word, Excel, PowerPoint Word, Excel, PowerPoint Outlook, Journal Outlook, Journal Pen-based collaborative tools Pen-based collaborative tools Virtual Meeting Software (whiteboard, document sharing, Web sharing, polling) Virtual Meeting Software (whiteboard, document sharing, Web sharing, polling) Microsoft Live Meeting Microsoft Live Meeting Macromedia Breeze Macromedia Breeze Live Conference Pro Live Conference Pro WebEx WebEx Horizon Live Horizon Live Elluminate Live! Elluminate Live! Centura 7 eMeeting Centura 7 eMeeting

11. Project Timeline