We present data from large introductory algebra-based physics courses at a large public research university in the US in which most students were bioscience majors or other health-related majors. The data was analyzed from two introductory physics courses, which are required for most of these students and they are often considered "weed…

The United States is not graduating enough science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) majors for the increasing number of available employment opportunities and national security needs. The purpose of this study was to quantify the magnitude of STEM attrition at the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA), a military service academy…

This article investigates how mastery of prerequisite course material impacts student learning in follow-on courses. To measure the importance of prerequisite skills, we compare the exam scores of students with a GPA of 3.0 or better in their multidisciplinary prerequisite classes to the exam scores of students with a GPA of less than 3.0 in their…

Education costs, especially textbook prices, are outpacing inflation and becoming a serious financial burden for college students. Because student textbook use is linked to academic performance, making textbooks more affordable and accessible is one important way to enhance learning outcomes. Online booksellers allow student-to-student textbook…

Science fiction films were used in required and elective nonmajor science courses as a pedagogical tool to motivate student interest in science and to reinforce critical thinking about scientific concepts. Students watched various films and critiqued them for scientific accuracy in written assignments. Students' perception of this activity was…