Millsaps College has announced that it has been awarded a $400,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to conduct pioneering research aimed at revolutionizing STEM education. This significant funding underscores Millsaps’ leadership in exploring innovative teaching methods and its commitment to enhancing student learning experiences.
The project, led by Dr. Beth Hussa, chair of the biology department; Dr. Stacy DeZutter, professor of education and psychology; and Dr. Cory Toyota, associate professor of organic chemistry, is set to transform traditional classroom environ-ments into spaces that foster active learning and greater student engagement. Titled “Active Learning Sociocultural Progression through Adapted Classroom Environ-ments,” the study will investigate how classroom design influences the way students and faculty approach the learning process.
Active learning, an educational approach where students are engaged participants in the learning process rather than passively receiving information, has been shown to significantly improve student success in STEM fields. However, there is still much to learn about the best ways to implement and scale this approach effectively. Millsaps College’s research will focus on how the physical layout of a classroom—specifically a Technology-Enhanced Active Learning classroom—can facilitate this shift.
The research will compare traditional classroom setups, where students face a centralized instructor, to TEAL classrooms, which feature flexible space and furniture with updated technology that encourages group work and collaboration. In these TEAL classrooms, instructors move from being the sole source of knowledge to facilitators of a more dynamic and interactive learning experience.
This three-year project, set to begin in May 2025, will also see Millsaps students directly involved in the research process, offering them hands-on experience in cutting-edge educational methods. The findings from this study are expected to guide future classroom designs and teaching practices, with Millsaps College leading the way in shaping the future of STEM education.
