Breaking Barriers: Promoting Motivation, Engagement, and Learning Success among Biology Undergraduates from Minority Backgrounds

Abstract This research presents an in-depth exploration of the transformative potential of hands-on learning (which would be used interchangeably with the term ECP-Experiment Centric Pedagogy) in the domain of biology education, with a focus on student engagement and academic achievement. Over three semesters, students enrolled in three biology courses (BIO 103, BIO 201, and BIO 202) participated in a hands-on learning approach that integrated various hands-on activities and experiments. In parallel, participants in a non-ECP group were exposed to conventional teaching methods. The keystone of this pedagogical transformation was the "Heart Rate" experiment, wherein students utilized a mobile application to quantify heart rate fluctuations following various physical activities. The study employed pre- and post-surveys to assess student engagement, while pre- and post-signature assessments were administered to gauge their understanding of the experiment's core concepts. Project assignments were used to evaluate practical application and understanding. Using statistical software like SPSS and Excel, meticulous data analysis was conducted to provide a comprehensive look at the students' performance over these three semesters. Results showed that students who participated in hands-on learning activities demonstrated significantly higher levels of engagement and performance than those in the non-ECP group. The data showed marked improvements in student engagement and learning outcomes. This study builds upon prior work that investigated the implementation of an experiment-centric pedagogy aimed at enhancing student motivation, learning, and critical thinking skills within biology. It contributes to the discourse on the transformative potential of this pedagogical approach in STEM education. The findings suggest that this approach can help create a more engaging and meaningful learning experience for biology students, leading to improved outcomes in academic achievement and persistence