Lofgren announces $3 million for SJSU Research Foundation

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Representative Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.) announced $3 million in federal funding today for the San Jose State University Research Foundation.

The federal grant, administered by the U.S. Education Department's "First in the World" grant program, is designed to support collaboration among multiple partners focused on college access and student data. At the SJSU Research Foundation, the funding will promote active learning strategies through the flipped classroom model in STEM gateway courses.

"I'm delighted that San Jose State was selected to receive federal funds for their ambitious research," said Lofgren. "This investment can help educators and researchers explore new ways to boost retention and graduation rates, and more fully study the possibilities of innovative new teaching practices."

The flipped classroom is a model of teaching which reverses the typical lecture and homework elements of a school day. Video lectures can be studied by students at home before class, while in-class time is dedicated to collaborative exercises, projects, or group discussions.

The SJSU Research Foundation will evaluate the flipped classroom models at SJSU, California State University Los Angeles, and Cal Poly Pomona to measure core academic performances in retention and graduation, and examine facilitating a culture of transformative pedagogical change among STEM faculty at the three CSUs.

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