Andrew Heckler, well-known specialist in physics education research at The Ohio State University was awarded two grants from The National Science Foundation (NFS) totaling $780,000 to enhance the STEM Fluency Learning Application.   

STEM Fluency is an online tool which aims to sharpen accuracy and speed in foundational STEM skills. By simplifying practice, the app empowers students to tackle intricate STEM problems at their own pace. 

“The idea is to not only build up a student’s accuracy when solving these problems, but also increase their speed,” said Heckler, professor of physics at Ohio State. “STEM Fluency uses mastery-based learning. The students have to answer three to five questions in a row correctly, but they get as many tries as they want.”  

STEM Fluency is utilized by more than 30,000 students from 15 institutions, who have collectively answered 12 million questions. The app covers 10,000 questions across 200 STEM skill categories, including introductory physics, second-year physics, upper-level quantum mechanics, introductory chemistry and intermediate astrophysics. Data gathered from the app shows the gap between students’ skills in STEM subjects significantly narrows or closes completely the more they practice.   

“I felt strong, but not confident,” said Mia Marcellana, a third-year student studying neuroscience. “It helped me feel stronger with fundamentals like basic algebra and skill sets I hadn't pulled from since high school.”  

Madalyn Long, also in her third year at Ohio State studying radiologic science, likened the academic challenge to running around a track five times, equating its difficulty to a rigorous workout that ultimately enhances one's abilities. 

“It is challenging, but it makes you a better athlete,” Long said. “These problems can take quite some time to do, but it makes me a better student” 

Following the grant achievements, Heckler spearheaded the creation of STEM Fluency Inc. in summer 2023. The nonprofit now possesses ownership of the question bank and software licenses from Ohio State, and their primary objective revolves around widespread distribution to educational institutions, with a continual focus on enhancing features and functionalities. This expansion includes Columbus State Community College alongside two Historically Black Universities, Hampton University and South Carolina State University, broadening its access across diverse educational institutions. 

“As we extend STEM Fluency to diverse institutions, these grants underscore our mission to cultivate a robust, inclusive learning environment,” said Susan Olesik, Dean of Natural and Mathematical Sciences at Ohio State. “We're committed to nurturing tomorrow's STEM leaders.” 

Heckler says his long-term goal is to address some of the core challenges in education, while also removing barriers that play a role in impeding a student’s progress. Students may have different learning styles or may need a different pace to build their skills. Creating a space that can cater to a student's unique needs can reduce cognitive strain and anxiety. The app also provides a strong base for students who might not have confidence in those skills prior to college.  

“It comes down to two things,” Heckler said. “Making education affordable, having high quality materials that are affordable to everybody. From this challenge, how do you develop fluency for students and what is going to help them down the road.”