Recent interest has highlighted the need for an increase in the representation of students, particularly traditionally underserved students, in the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) majors. Instructional leadership approaches that foster an active learning environment have emerged as a means of improving performance in introductory STEM courses over and above traditional approaches. The current action research study examined the impact of an active learning intervention, matching teaching-learning styles, on student performance in a STEM course at a community college. Community colleges in Texas have faced a serious decline in academic performance over the last few decades, markedly so at the college associated with the current study. The Felder-Silverman Learning Styles Model (FSLSM) holds that the alignment of teaching-learning styles can improve student success and increase motivation for learning; as such, the FSLSM was used as the theoretical framework. Students' learning styles were identified using the Index of Learning Styles questionnaire. Appropriate leadership styles were then implemented in the second half of the course. Students' midterm and final grades were compared to mediate the effects of the ALE on academic performance. The results demonstrated that students performed better as a result of the intervention, which can contribute to enhanced student performance in STEM courses. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]